(Variant) Avena sterilis L. subsp. sterilis

Vegetative form. Mid-culm nodes hairy, pigmented. Basal leaf sheaths pubescent to pilose (upper sheath glabrous), smooth. Ligule chartaceous to carnose, abaxially hairy (minutely scabrid).

Inflorescence. Primary inflorescence branches paired, spreading.

Hermaphrodite (`perfect') spikelets. Hermaphrodite spikelets 30-38(-45) mm long. Lower glume (25-)30-38(-50) mm long. Upper glume (24-)30-38(-50) mm long. Rachilla papillose to scabrous. Callus c. 2.6 mm long. Lemma (18-)31-33 mm long. Lemma margins smooth. Lemma intercostal regions scaberulous and silky (upper floret glabrous), the hairs over the entire dorsal surface (scabrous near apex, silky below awn insertion). Median awn (30-)65-80 mm long; 21.2 mm below tip; arising from the lower half of the lemma (c. 1/3 the lemma length from the base), stout, pale brown. Palea 2/3s the length of the lemma, 19.6 mm long. Lodicules ovate.

Common name. Sterile Oats.

Distribution. New South Wales.

Vouchers. Specimens examined morphologically: N.S.W.: Crookwell, 9 km S on Goulburn Rd, 1 Dec. 1989, N.Lloyd 899 (CANB).

Cite this publication as:
C.M. Weiller, M.J. Henwood, J. Lenz and L. Watson (1995 onwards). `Pooideae (Poaceae) in Australia - Descriptions and Illustrations'. URL http://muse.bio.cornell.edu/delta/
Dallwitz (1980) and Dallwitz, Paine and Zurcher (1993) should also be cited.

References and Acknowledgements