Poa annua
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Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba
Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba
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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
| Synonyms: |
Poa bipollicaris Hochst. |
| Common names: | Annual meadow grass (English) |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | |
| Description: |
Erect or decumbent annual (very rarely perennial), 5–30 cm. Leaves: ligule 2–3 mm; lamina 1.5–10 × 0.1–0.5 cm, flat, keeled, often transversely wrinkled. Panicle 1–8 cm, ± triangular; branches usually 2 together, often becoming reflexed after flowering. Spikelets 3–5 mm, 3–5-flowered, lanceolate; lower glume ovate or lanceolate, 1-veined; upper 3-veined; lemma ovate, 5-veined, margin and apex broadly hyaline. |
| Type location: |
Europe |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | annua: annual |
| Habitat: | |
| Altitude range: (metres) | |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Nowadays a near cosmopolitan species; introduced in Africa. |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 358. Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 44. Launert, E. (1971). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(1) Pages 49 - 51. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 108. Ntore, S. & al. (2024). Checklist of the vascular plants of Burundi Page 205. Troupin, G. & Maquet, P. (1988). Poaceae Flore du Rwanda Spermatophytes Volume IV Page 354. (Includes a picture). Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 86. |
Other sources of information about Poa annua:
Our websites:
Flora of Malawi: Poa annuaFlora of Rwanda: Poa annua
Flora of Zambia: Poa annua
Flora of Zimbabwe: Poa annua
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Poa annuaAfrican Plant Database: Poa annua
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Poa annua
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Poa annua
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Poa annua
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Poa annua
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Poa annua
JSTOR Plant Science: Poa annua
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Poa annua
Plants of the World Online: Poa annua
Tropicos: Poa annua
Wikipedia: Poa annua