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General Description
Annual bunchgrass. Stems 50–100 cm. Leaves: blades 5–10 mm wide. Inflorescence an open panicle. Spikelets 20–25 mm long, usually with at least 3 florets. Lemmas hairless to most often long hairy, with a twisted bent blackish awn 3–4 cm long and a conspicuously hairy callus (Lavin in
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Diagnostic Characteristics
Avena fatua can be confused with the following grass:
Ventenata – Ventenata dubia, non-native, undesirable, Noxious
* Growth Form: Winter annual bunchgrass. Mature plants green to tawny brown.
* Leaves (mature): Narrow, folded lengthwise (inrolled), glabrous to puberulent, and ascending. At the seedling stage, leaves are narrow and more needle-like when compared to Cheatgrass and Japanese Brome.
* Ligule: Long, membranous, 1-8 mm, and matched above by a purple-black node.
* Inflorescence & Stem: Open, airy, pyramidal-shaped, upright panicle that emerges (May-June) while stems harden.
* Callus: Bearded (hairy)
* Glumes: 7-nerved and smooth.
* Lemmas: Dimorphic. Lowest lemma with straight, persistent awn. Upper lemmas with a bifid tip and a twisted, bent awn (June-July), 1-1.6 cm long that disarticulates with the floret.
* Caryopsis: Seeds (from upper florets) retain bent, twisted awn after dispersal.
Species Range
Montana Range
Range Descriptions
Non-native
Range Comments
Introduced throughout most of North America (Lavin in Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 55
(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version)
Map Help and Descriptions
Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
In and around cultivated fields, roadsides, and pastures at low to moderate elevations (Lavin in
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Management
Stewardship Responsibility
References
- Literature Cited AboveLegend:
View Online Publication- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 771 p.
- Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?
Bateman, H. 2017. Molecular effects of insect herbivory in multiple herbicide resistant Avena fatua. Abstract. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University.- Brey, C.W. 1998. Epidemiology of wheat curl mite (Aceria tosichella K.) and wheat streak mosaic virus on feral grass species and effect of glyphosate on wheat curl mite dispersal. Ph.D. Dissertation. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 136 p.
- Burns, E.E. 2017. Genetic and physiological characterization and ecological management of non-target site resistance in multiple herbicide resistant Avena fatua L. Ph.D. Dissertation. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 175 p.
- Burns, E.E., B.K. Keith, L.E. Talbert, and W.E. Dyer. 2018. Non-target site resistance to flucarbazone, imazamethabenz and pinoxaden is controlled by three linked genes in Avena fatua. Weed Research 58, no. 1 (February 2018): 8-16. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/wre.12279
- Carroll, M.W. 1998. Influence of a legume covercrop on volunteer wheat, the wheat curl mite, Aceria tosichella (K.) and wheat streak mosaic virus. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 78 p.
- Davidson, R.M. 1997. Temporal and spatial dynamics of herbicide resistant weeds. Ph.D. Dissertation. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 137 p.
- Ito, D. 2011. Evaluation of susceptibility to wheat streak mosaic virus among small grains and alternative hosts in the great plains. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 93 p.
- King, L.A. 1980. Effects of topsoiling and other reclamation practices on nonseeded species establishment on surface mined land at Colstrip, Montana. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 129 p.
- Kisch, H.R. 2015. An inventory of carbon stocks under native vegetation and farm fields in south-central Montana. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 67 p.
- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants, Second Edition. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 779 p.
- Meier, G.A. 1997. The colonization of Montana roadsides by native and exotic plants. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 45 p.
- Zapatka, T.P. 1963. Some results of two limited hunting seasons on hen Pheasants in north central Montana. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, Montana: Montana State University. 26 p.
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