Poa annua L.

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Poa annua

Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba

Poa annua

Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba

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Synonyms: Poa bipollicaris Hochst.
Common names: Annual meadow grass (English)
Frequency: Frequent
Status: Introduced
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.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: annua: annual
Habitat: A weed of flower beds and lawns, but outside the E Highlands only in places which are watered through the dry season.
Altitude range: (metres) 1240 - 2270 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution: Nowadays a near cosmopolitan species; introduced in Africa.
Zimbabwe distribution: N,W,C,E
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.

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 Caprivi: cultivated Poa annua
Flora of Malawi: Poa annua
Flora of Zambia: Poa annua

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Poa annua
African 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


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: Poa annua.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=103630, retrieved 19 March 2024

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