Flora of New Zealand Series

slender oat

Tufts green to dark green, often very slender, 65-100-(170) cm, erect or drooping above in taller plants. Leaf-sheath smooth, or slightly scabrid above, occasionally red-tinged. Ligule 2.7-5-(9) mm, obtuse, denticulate, abaxially finely scabrid. Leaf-blade 12.5-30 cm × 2-8 mm, finely scabrid on ribs and margins. Culm internodes glabrous. Panicle (12)-18-40 cm, very lax, equilateral; rachis smooth, branches and pedicels very filiform, finely scabrid. Spikelets 40-50 mm, 2-(3)-flowered; disarticulation below each floret at maturity. Glumes 7-9-nerved. Lemma 12-18 mm, narrow-lanceolate, light brown, with long stiff reddish hairs below level of awn insertion, green and scabrid above, each lobe-tip produced to a fine bristle (2-3 mm); lemmas awned, awns 30-36 mm, geniculate, column very dark brown, twisted. Palea keels with 1-2 rows of cilia, interkeel glabrous, flanks sometimes sparsely scabrid. Callus long hairy, with horse-shoe shaped scar. Rachilla long hairy. Anthers 2-3 mm. Caryopsis 5-7 × 0.8-1.3 mm, light brown, silky hairy.

N.: North Auckland, South Auckland, Bay of Plenty (Opotoki), Hawke's Bay (near Napier), Wellington (Wanganui, Paekakariki and Wellington City). Near the sea, especially on cliffs, dry banks, and steep grassy slopes, occasionally inland on disturbed ground, roadsides and in pasture.

Naturalised from Mediterranean.