HABIT	AN ANNUAL TUFTED GRASS WITH ERECT CULMS.
STEMS	CULM HEIGHT VARIES FROM 25 TO 120 CM.
LEAVES	BLADES ARE COLOURED DARK GREEN, GROW UP TO 40 CM AND SHOW A MEMBRANEOUS LIGULE, WHICH IS 1-6 MM LONG AND OFTEN IRREGULARLY TOOTHED. SHEATHS ARE SMOOTH OR SLIGHTLY HAIRY, ESPECIALLY IN YOUNGER PLANTS.
FLOWERS	THE INFLORESCENCE IS A LOOSE, OPEN PANICLE WITH 2-3-FLOWERED PEDICELLED SPIKELETS. AS A SPECIFIC TRAIT OF AVENA SPECIES, LEMMAS HAVE 2-3 AWNS ARISING FROM THE BACK WHICH ARE MOSTLY DARKCOLOURED, BENT AND 3-4 CM LONG. EACH OF THE 2-3 FLORETS HAS AN OVAL ABSCISSION SCAR AT ITS BASE, CAUSING THEM TO FALL SEPARATELY.
GRAINS	6-8 MM LONG.