Avenula and Avena species - Oat-grass and Oats

Avena sativa – Oat is quite a common casual in field borders, on roadsides, and where bird food may have fallen. It has large drooping heads which may have awns or not.

Avenula Oat-grasses (formerly Helicotrichon) are tall grasses growing from dense tufts with long flower heads. They have narrow, long spikelets with awns. The spikelets are dark brown and silver in colour.

Avenula pubescens - Downy Oat-grass has soft leaves and markedly hairy sheaths.

Avenula pratensis - Meadow Oat-grass is a largely hairless, stiff grass with a bluish tinge to the upper surface of the leaves. The ligule is 3 – 5 mm long.