The species is not grown as a grain crop but has become naturalized widely. In California it is a reseeding range grass. A. strigosa Schreb. In this species the lemmas are lance-like, extending to two distinct points. The plant has small, erect stems.
Panicles are near equilateral.
The species is widely distributed in Europe and bas become naturalized in California. It is not grown as a grain crop. A. abyssinica Hochst. This oat is similar in habit to the desert oat, A. wiestii , but differs in chromosome number. Stems are erect, rather small and fairly stiff.