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Family: Poaceae Scientific name: Avena species Description: Plant Form Grasses. Size Up to 2 m tall. Stem Hollow, erect. Leaves Flat, up to about 50 cm long, sheathed with a membrane-like structure at base. Flowers Loose, open with group of usually 2-3 spikelets with a lance shaped covering (glume). Fruit and Seeds Elongated oval shaped seeds with long awns. Habitat Pastures, agricultural land, grasslands, open woodland, roadsides, disturbed areas. Distinguishing Features Distinctive as a genus due to large strap-like membranes at the leaf joint (ligules) without earlobelike structures (auricles). Hard to identify to species level. Photos of spikelets with covering removed are required to show seed awns and bristles. Impacts Competes for resources with crops, hosts pests and diseases, decreases soil moisture, outcompetes native grasses.