AVENE^. 385 



151 (1841). A. lanvginosa Gilib. Exercit. 2: 539 (1766). A. 

 steriUs Delile, Boiss. Fl. Orient. 5:543 (1867). 



An erect glabrous annual, 60-100 cm. high. Leiif-blades flat, 

 long and broad, scabrous. Panicle 20-35 cm. long, loose, with fili- 

 form unequal pedicels. Spikelets 2-3-flowered, drooping; empty 

 glumes ovate-lanceolate, about 2.5 cm. long, with 9 prominent 

 nerves; floral glume 9-nerved, firm, rough, brown, thinly hairy, t!ie 

 longest glume less than 2 cm. long, 7 mm. wide, awn from near the 

 middle 2-4 cm. long, with several firm twists, abruptly bent near 

 the middle; palea 14 mm. long, 3 mm. wide, the nerves clothed 

 with very short diverging hairs. Grain hairy, much like that of 

 A. harhata, which see. 



We have this species from Minnesota, Oregon, California, where 

 it has been introduced. It is probably native to the eastern Medi- 

 terranean region and is a weed in cultivated fields of Europe, 

 Australia, South America. In California it is often cut while 

 young for making hay. The late Professor J. Buckman of Eng- 

 land continued experiments from 1851 to 1860 and succeeded in 

 inducing this species to so change, that he obtained what were 

 called good samples of two sorts of oats, the Potato and the Tar- 

 tarian. 



From this we conclude that our cultivated races of oats have 

 descended from A. fatua. 



7. A. SATivA L. Sp. PI. 79 (1753). Comjiox Oats. A. 

 anglica Hort. E. & S. Syst. 2:669 (1817). A. dispermis ^\\\. 

 Gard. Diet. Ed. 8, n. 1(1768). A.fuscaKvdi. Saggi Ace. Padov. 

 2:^. 4 (1789). A. Georgiana R. & S. Syst. 2:669 (1817). A. 

 georgica Zuccag. Roem. Collect. 126. A. trisperma Auct. R. & S. 

 Syst. 2: 669 <1817). A. cinerea Auct. R. & S. Syst. 2: 669 (1817). 

 A. fiava Hort. R. & S. Syst. 2:669 (1817). A. rubra Zuccagni, 

 Roem. Collect. 126. 



A stout annual, 60-120 cm. high. Panicle 20-30 cm. long, 

 erect, spreading equally in all directions. Spikelets 2-3-floAvered, 

 nodding, empty glumes 9-11-nerved, 2-2.5 cm. long; floral glume 

 7-nerved, about 2 cm. long, nearly destitute of hairs, light or dark 

 colored, awn short or none. 



