Avena

Avena is a genus of grasses, family Poaceae, subfamily Pooideae, comprising roughly five cultivated species and more than fifteen wild species, native across Europe, Asia and northwest Africa; several species have naturalized worldwide and are considered invasive weeds in many regions. All members produce edible seeds, though in most wild species the seeds are small and difficult to harvest. Avena sativa, the common oat, is a cereal crop of global importance and the species usually meant by the common name oats; Avena fatua, common wild oat, is a major agricultural weed; Avena nuda, naked or hulless oat, is noted for superior nutrient content compared to common oats; and Avena abyssinica, Ethiopian oat, is cultivated in East Africa. The genus has been cultivated for thousands of years as both human food and livestock fodder.