Its history is unknown, although it seems that it has its origin in Central Asia. It is an annual herbaceous plant of the grass family.
It has a powerful root system, thick stems and straight, flat and elongated leaves with a green limb, rough to the touch and with hairs at the base. The inflorescence is in panicle and the fruit is in cariópside with attached glumillas.
In world cereal production, oats are in fifth place and the most producing countries are Russia, Canada and the United States.
