Poaceae
Avena

Avena abyssinica Hochst.

First published in W.P.Schimper, It. Abyssin. 3: 1877 (1846)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is NE. Tropical Africa. It is an annual and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Annual. Culms erect; 70-100 cm long; 4 -noded. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 5-10 mm long; erose. Leaf-blades 15-30 cm long; 6-11 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; ovate; nodding; 20-40 cm long; 5-15 cm wide. Panicle branches scaberulous. Spikelets pendulous; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 2-4 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 20-25 mm long; persistent on plant. Rhachilla internodes pilose; with 1-2 mm long hairs. Floret callus evident; bearded; obtuse.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 2-4 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 20-25 mm long; persistent on plant. Rhachilla internodes pilose; with 1-2 mm long hairs. Floret callus evident; bearded; obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 20-25 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 7-9 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 20-25 mm long; 1.3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 7-9 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate; 15-18 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner above; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above and on veins. Lemma margins eciliate, or ciliate. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.5 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 36 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn 10-13 mm long. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 2-3 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea keels winged; narrowly winged; ciliolate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; 2 mm long. Ovary pubescent all over.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; sulcate on hilar side; 7-8 mm long; hairy all over. Hilum linear.
Distribution
Africa: northeast tropical. Asia-temperate: Arabia. Australasia: Australia.
Reference
Aveneae. FTA 1993.
[GB]

Seed Collecting Guide. RBG Kew (2013-2016)

Morphology General Habit
Annual-culms 50-100cm long, robust, erect, 4-noded
Morphology Leaves
leaf blades 15-30 cm long, 6-11 mm wide, surface rough, ligule erect, membranous, 5-10 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
paniculate, open, nodding, equilateral, 20-40 cm long, 5-15 cm wide
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
spikelets 2-2.5 cm long, laterally compressed, each with 2-4 fertile florets, with a sterile rhachilla extension
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
glumes 2, subequal, 20-25 mm long, thinner than lemma, lower glume lanceolate, upper glume elliptic. lemma 15-18 mm long, coriaceous, surface rough, apex bifid, 3-awned, principal awn 25-35 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Palea
palea keels winged, with rows of cilia along edges
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
florets non-disarticulating at maturity
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
fruit caryopsis 7-8 mm long, with adherant pericarp, sulcate on hilar side, pubescent.
Ecology
a weed of arable land, particularly barley fields, often harvested with the crop, on elevated basaltic plateaus. altitude 1700 - 2800 m.
Distribution
Native to Ethiopia, Djibouti and eritrea and cultivated for grain in Northern Ethiopia. introduced into saudi Arabia and yemen.
Conservation
least concerned.
Phenology
Flower (august - may), fruit (june - november).
[SCG]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/21342198/21413490

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Seed Collection Guides

    • Seed Collection Guides
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0