Oat - Avena sativa

Similar to Wild Oat, but the spikelets are 17 to 20 mm long, usually without hairs on the lemma bases; the lemmas usually unawned.  If awns present, fairly straight and usually glabrous

Avena fatua.  Other Avena may be cultivated and present as rare aliens.  This is a difficult genus; refer to Stace (4th edn.) for details.

Usually awnless; sometimes with nearly straight awns at maturity. Usually glabrous

The County Recorder has asked for a specimen of this plant to be retained for verification

Roadside verges and field margins.

Flowers June to September.

Perennial

Widespread in Britain as a relic of cultivation.

Occasional escape from cultivation in Leicestershire and Rutland. It was not recorded in the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire.