Poa wolfii
Poa occidentalis
Wolf's bluegrass
New Mexican bluegrass, New Mexico bluegrass
25-90 cm.
20-110 cm.
closed for 1/2 - 3/4 their length, smooth or sparsely scabrous, margins not ciliate;
ligules 0.3-2.1 mm, smooth or sparsely scabrous, truncate to obtuse, ciliolate;
blades 0.6-3.5 mm wide, flat.
closed for (1/5)1/4 – 1/2(3/5) their length, distinctly compressed and keeled, usually densely retrorsely scabrous, rarely sparsely scabrous, margins not ciliate;
ligules 3-12 mm, densely scabrous, acute to acuminate;
blades (1.2)1.5-6(10) mm wide, flat, lax, apices broadly prow-shaped.
mainly pseudointravaginal.
mixed intra- and extra-vaginal.
7.5-15(18) cm, lax, pyramidal, open, sparse;
nodes with 1-3(5) branches;
branches 3-8 cm, ascending, straight to spreading, angled, angles prominent, scabrous.
(6)12-40 cm, lax, eventually open, spikelets numerous, with 2-7 branches per node;
branches (3)5-18(23) cm, eventually spreading or drooping, angled, angles densely scabrous, with (5)8-40(120) spikelets.
4-6.5 mm, laterally compressed;
florets 2-5;
rachilla internodes to 1 mm, smooth, glabrous.
(3)4-7(8) mm, laterally compressed, with 3-7 florets;
rachilla internodes shorter than 1 mm, smooth.
1/2-1/3 the length of the adjacent lemmas, distinctly keeled, keels scabrous;
lower glumes subulate to narrowly lanceolate, (1)3-veined;
upper glumes shorter than or subequal to the lowest lemmas;
calluses webbed;
lemmas (2.5)3.2-4.7 mm, lanceolate, green, distinctly keeled, keels and marginal veins long-villous, hairs extending up almost the whole keel length, lateral veins prominent, intercostal regions smooth, minutely bumpy, usually glabrous, rarely sparsely softly puberulent, apices acute, blunt, or pointed, white, not bronze;
palea keels softly puberulent at midlength, apices scabrous;
anthers (0.5)0.8-1.2(1.5) mm.
distinctly keeled, keels scabrous;
lower glumes 2-3.5 mm, 1-veined;
upper glumes 2.5-4.2 mm, shorter than or subequal to the lowest lemmas;
calluses webbed;
lemmas 2.6-4.2 mm, narrowly lanceolate, distinctly keeled, scabrous distally, keels and marginal veins short- to long-villous, keel hairs extending to midlength, marginal vein hairs to 1/3 the lemma length, lateral veins and intercostal regions usually sparsely softly puberulent, lateral veins prominent, apices narrowly acute;
palea keels scabrous, glabrous;
anthers 0.3-1 mm.
= 28.
= 14, 28.
Poa wolfii
Poa occidentalis
Poa wolfii is an uncommon species that grows in boggy areas of eastern deciduous forests, primarily west of the Appalachian divide. It differs from P. sylvestris (p. 512) in having fewer branches, larger spikelets, and lemmas that are usually glabrous between the veins.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Poa occidentalis grows in natural openings and disturbed sites in mixed coniferous forests of the southwestern United States. It is one of the three diploid species of Poa known to be native to North America. The tetraploid count was obtained from a single giant individual. Poa occidentalis has been confused with P. tracyi (p. 543), but P. occidentalis consistently has shorter, well-developed anthers and lacks rhizomes. It also usually has longer ligules relative to the blade width, and is shorter-lived. A few plants are intermediate in some characteristics. Small plants of P. occidentalis sometimes resemble P. reflexa (see next).
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
IL Wildflowers
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