Poa annua
Poa ×gaspensis
annual blue grass
Gaspé Peninsula bluegrass
2-20(45) cm, prostrate to erect, slender;
nodes terete, usually 1 exserted.
15-50 cm, erect or the bases decumbent.
closed for about 1/3 their length, terete or weakly compressed, smooth;
ligules 0.5-3(5) mm, smooth, glabrous, decurrent, obtuse to truncate;
blades 1-10 cm long, 1-3(6) mm wide, flat or weakly folded, thin, soft, smooth, margins usually slightly scabrous, apices broadly prow-shaped.
closed for 1/4-1/2 their length, terete;
ligules acute;
blades flat, thin, apices broadly prow-shaped.
intravaginal, innovations common, similar to the culms.
intra- and extravaginal.
1-7(10) cm, lengths 1.2-1.6 times widths, erect;
nodes with 1-2(3) branches;
branches ascending to spreading or reflexed, straight, terete, smooth, with crowded or loosely arranged spikelets.
erect, narrowly lanceoloid to ovoid, contracted, with 2-4 branches per node;
branches ascending to spreading, sparsely scabrous.
3-5 mm, laterally compressed;
florets 2-6;
rachilla internodes smooth, glabrous, concealed or exposed, distal internodes less than 1/2(3/4) the length of the distal lemma.
3.5-6 mm, laterally compressed, with 3-4 florets.
smooth, distinctly keeled, keels smooth;
lower glumes 1-veined;
upper glumes shorter than or subequal to the lowest lemma;
calluses glabrous;
lemmas 2.5-4 mm, lanceolate, distinctly keeled, smooth throughout, the keels, marginal veins, and, usually, lateral veins crisply puberulent to long-villous, rarely glabrous throughout, lateral veins prominent, intercostal regions glabrous, margins smooth, glabrous, apices obtuse to acute;
palea keels smooth, usually short- to long-villous, rarely glabrous;
anthers 0.6-1.1 mm, oblong prior to dehiscence, those of the upper 1-2 florets usually vestigial.
broadly lanceolate, distinctly keeled, distinctly scabrous on the distal 1/3;
lower glumes 3-veined;
calluses shortly webbed;
lemmas 2.5-4.5 mm, broadly lanceolate, keeled, keels and marginal veins long-villous, intercostal regions sofdy puberulent;
palea keels scabrous, long-villous at midlength;
anthers 1.2-1.4 mm.
= 28.
= unknown.
Poa annua
Poa ×gaspensis
Poa annua is one of the world's most widespread weeds. It thrives in anthropomorphic habitats outside of the arctic. A native of Eurasia, it is now well established throughout most of the Flora region.
Poa annua is a gynomonoecious tetraploid (possibly rarely polyhaploid), and is thought to have arisen from hybridization between P. infirma (see next) and P. supina (p. 521) (Tutin 1952). It is similar to P. infirma, differing in having larger anthers. It differs from P. chapmaniana (p. 534) in having glabrous calluses and three larger anthers, rather than one. Forms with glabrous lemmas occur sporadically within populations.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Poa ×gaspensis is found in the coastal mountains of the Gaspe Pennisula. There are few plants that fit the description. It seems to consist of hybrids between P. pratensis subsp. alpigena (p. 525) and P. alpina (p. 518). Poa xgaspensis differs from P. alpina in its extravaginal branching, rhizomatous habit, and webbed calluses; from P. pratensis in its acute ligules and more pubescent lemmas; and from P. arctica (p. 529) in its sharply keeled, more scabrous glumes and its spikelet shape, which approaches those of P. alpina and P. pratensis.
Poa ×gaspensis is a named intersectional hybrid
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
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