Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
(unranked): Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Poa
Species: P. annua
Binomial name: Poa annua
Common names: Annual meadow grass, Annual Poa, Annual bluegrass, Poa, winter grass
Poa annua is a small, common, widespread, low-growing, annual turfgrass found around the world in temperate climates. It found in gardens, lawns, pastures, and on cultivated land. In New Zealand, it is considered an environmental weed by DOC. Care should be taken to prevent its spread in or near natural areas.
Poa annua has a slightly creeping, fibrous, rootstock. The stem grows >25 cm high. It has soft, drooping, green, hairless leaf blades (>9 cm long, >4 mm wide). They are blunt at the tips which are shaped like the prow of a small canoe. The leaves are often a lighter green colour than other turf grasses. They are either folded or opened flat, weak, often crinkled when young, and with a characteristic square channel or ‘tramlines’ along the midrib. The ligule is long, pointed, and silvery. The leaves have finely serrated edges. Occasionally the leaves are serrated transversely.
A characteristic of Poa annua is that it can flower at any time of the year, often flowering during in winter. It usually dies off once it has set seed. It grows rapidly from seed, flowering within 6 weeks, seeding and then dying.
The ligule is long, pointed, and silvery.
The spikelets are 4-6 mm long, with 3-6 light green or purplish flowers
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
