Poa infirma
Encyclopedia
Poa infirma is a species of grass
known by the common names weak bluegrass and early meadowgrass. It was first described from a specimen found in Colombia
, but it is actually an introduced species
in the Americas and is native to Europe. It grows in many types of habitat, including disturbed areas. It is very similar to Poa annua
, which is probably a daughter species, and it is often mistaken for P. annua unless it is closely examined.
This is a small, densely tufted annual grass growing up to 15 centimeters tall. It has thin, soft-haired, yellow-green leaves. The inflorescence
is a series of branches bearing flattened spikelets which have tufts of curly hairs.
Poaceae
The Poaceae is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of flowering plants. Members of this family are commonly called grasses, although the term "grass" is also applied to plants that are not in the Poaceae lineage, including the rushes and sedges...
known by the common names weak bluegrass and early meadowgrass. It was first described from a specimen found in Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, but it is actually an introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
in the Americas and is native to Europe. It grows in many types of habitat, including disturbed areas. It is very similar to Poa annua
Poa annua
Poa annua, or annual meadow grass , is a widespread low-growing turfgrass in temperate climates. Though P. annua is commonly considered a solely annual plant due to its name, perennial bio-types do exist. 'Poa' is Greek for fodder. It is one of the sweetest grasses for green fodder, but less ...
, which is probably a daughter species, and it is often mistaken for P. annua unless it is closely examined.
This is a small, densely tufted annual grass growing up to 15 centimeters tall. It has thin, soft-haired, yellow-green leaves. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is a series of branches bearing flattened spikelets which have tufts of curly hairs.
Further reading
- Takagi-Arigho, Ray (1994) Poa infirma - Flourishing? ... or Fleeing? BSBI News 65:14-18 (gives details of the plant's status and habitat in southwest England)