barbed oat

Avena barbata is a wild oat species native to the Mediterranean region and parts of the Atlantic islands, including the Açores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands. It is also present in Belgium and Chile. The plant produces edible seeds and is often found in mixed habitats with its diploid relatives A. hirtula and A. wiestii. These species are ecologically distinct, with A. hirtula associated with Mediterranean climates and A. wiestii with desert environments. A. barbata is a tetraploid species that originated from the diploid ancestors and is widely distributed across the region. It was first described in 1800 by Pott ex Link.