Avena sativa

Avena sativa L., Sp. Pl. 79 1753. (Syn: Avena agraria var. mutica Brot. …………………..);

common oat;

The common oat (Avena sativa) is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name (usually in the plural, unlike other grains).

While oats are suitable for human consumption as oatmeal and rolled oats, one of the most common uses is as livestock feed. Oats typically make up a part of the daily diet of domestic horses, about 20% of daily intake or smaller, and are regularly fed to cattle, as well. Oats are also used in some brands of dog food and chicken feed. Oat seeds are commonly marketed as cat grass to cat enthusiasts, since cats readily harvest and eat tender young oat, wheat, and some other grass sprouts.^[1]

Oats are grown in temperate regions. They have a lower summer heat requirement and greater tolerance of rain than other cereals, such as wheat, rye or barley, so are particularly important in areas with cool, wet summers, such as Northwest Europe; they are even being grown in Iceland to help prolong the growing season.^[4] Oats are an annual plant, and can be planted either in autumn (for late summer harvest) or in the spring (for early autumn harvest). Oats are grown in upper valleys of Himalayas, such as in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh from Mahabharat times. There it is known as jau. The temperate climate of this region is not suitable for millet, rice or wheat.

(Taken from Wikipedia– 9.4.13)