Stems are erect, rather small and fairly stiff. Panicles are equilateral, medium sized, very drooping. This species is grown to some extent in Abyssinia but not in the United States. This species is now widely distributed throughout temperate regions and is a troublesome weed in Northern States and in Canada. The plant resembles the common oat, A. sativa L., but is of greater vigor.
Panicles are very large and drooping.
The spikelets carry long twisted awns and separate from their pedicels by abscission, dropping when ripe. Thus the plant is self seeding. The species is of some value for hay or pasturage but is not grown for grain. This is the most important of the cultivated oats. Numerous new varieties have been released since that time, while a good many he listed are no longer grown.