Poa compressa*
L. Sp. Pl. 69 (1753).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Pooideae.
Tribe Poeae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: LT: (LINN-87.41). LT designated by Soreng in
Cafferty et al., Taxon 49(2): 255 (2000).
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia, [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses
of New South Wales (349), [2009] A.Wilson (ed.). Flora of Australia,
Vol 44A. Poaceae 2 (310).
Illustrations:
[2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South
Wales, 4th edn (349).
Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes present, elongated. Culms erect or geniculately ascending,
stature slender to delicate, 10–60 cm tall, wiry, 4–6 -noded. Mid-culm
internodes glabrous. Lateral branches simple or branched. Leaves mostly basal.
Leaf-sheaths smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane or a fringed membrane, a
ciliolate membrane, 0.4–1.3(–3) mm long, abaxially hairy, truncate or obtuse.
Leaf-blades flat or conduplicate, 2–12 cm long, 1–4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface
smooth or scaberulous, glabrous.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle oblong or ovate, dense or loose,
1.2–10 cm long, 0.5–3 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets many flowered, with at least 2 fertile
florets (3–10), comprising 3–10 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at
the apex, elliptic or oblong or ovate, laterally compressed, 3–8 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
similar. Lower glume ovate, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 3 -nerved. Upper
glume ovate, 1.6–3 mm long, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 3–5 -nerved.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 2–3 mm long, keeled, 5 -nerved. Lodicules present. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia,
North America, and South America.
Australian
Distribution: New South Wales, Tasmania.
New South Wales:
Central Coast, Northern Tablelands, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands,
Central-Western Slopes. Tasmania: West Coast, East Coast.
Notes.
Introduced. Widespread, native to Europe. Coloniser of waste lands and
disturbed ground, often on shallow well-drained soils, also a weed of pasture.
