Poaceae
Avena

Avena ventricosa Balansa

First published in Bull. Soc. Bot. France 1: 14 (1854)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is N. Africa to Iran. It is an annual and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30-60 cm long. Lateral branches lacking. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 4-8 cm long; 2-3 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; elliptic; nodding; 10-20 cm long. Primary panicle branches indistinct the panicle almost racemose; bearing 1 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Spikelets pendulous; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 25-30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Floret callus elongated; 6-7 mm long; pubescent; pungent.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 2 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 25-30 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating above glumes but not between florets. Floret callus elongated; 6-7 mm long; pubescent; pungent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 25-30 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 7-9 -veined. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume elliptic; 25-30 mm long; 2-2.5 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 7-9 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate; 10-15 mm long; coriaceous; much thinner above; without keel; 7 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; awned; 3 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.33 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 30-35 mm long overall; with twisted column. Column of lemma awn puberulous. Lateral lemma awns arising on apex of lobes; 7 mm long; shorter than principal. Palea keels ciliolate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3. Ovary pubescent all over.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; sulcate on hilar side; hairy all over. Hilum linear.
Distribution
Africa: north. Asia-temperate: Caucasus, western Asia, and Arabia.
Reference
Aveneae. Fl Iran 1993.
[GB]

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]

Seed Collecting Guide. RBG Kew (2013-2016)

Morphology General Habit
Annual herbs, 25-70 cm tall. juvenile growth semi-prostrate to erect, becoming erect. apparance glaucous.
Morphology Leaves
ligules obtuse with a mucro
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
panicle one-sided or nearly so
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
spikelets 1.7-2.4 cm long excluding awns, with 2 florets per spikelet
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
glumes 25-40 mm long, slightly unequal, lower glume 1/8 to a 1/4 the size of the upper glume, each with 7-9 veins
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
only lowermost floret disarticulating at maturity
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Lemma
lemma structure tough, tips bisubulate with 2 veins ending in each lobe, macrohairs absent below insertion point of awn, but tips often densely hairy lemma awns inserted between upper 1/3 to 1/2 and continuing in the same plane
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Palea
paleas with 1-2 rows of cilia along edges of keels.
Ecology
rocky plateaus, sandy deserts, disturbed grasslands, forest edges, often found mixed with other avena species. altitude unknown
Distribution
Algeria, Libya, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Cyprus, Azerbaijan.
Conservation
Near endangered
Phenology
Flower (march - may), fruit (no data)
[SCG]

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/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. 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 2025. 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