Family:
Poaceae Barnhart
Genus:
Poa L.

Poa alpina L.

This species is accepted, and its native range is Temp. Northern Hemisphere to Mexico (Veracruz).

[GB]
Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Butt sheaths herbaceous; persistent and investing base of culm; with compacted dead sheaths. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 5-40 cm long; 1-2 -noded. Culm-internodes terete; smooth. Lateral branches lacking. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths without keel; smooth. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 3-6 mm long; obtuse, or acute. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 2-12 cm long; 2-5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth; glabrous. Leaf-blade margins smooth, or scaberulous. Leaf-blade apex obtuse, or abruptly acute; hooded.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; ovate; dense, or loose; equilateral, or nodding; 3-7 cm long; 3-7 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading; 2 -nate. Panicle branches scaberulous. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 0.5-2 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 2-5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 4-7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; obscured by lemmas; smooth. Floret callus pubescent.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 2-5 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets oblong, or ovate; laterally compressed; 4-7 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes definite; obscured by lemmas; smooth. Floret callus pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume elliptic, or ovate; 2.5-4 mm long; 0.8-0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; much thinner on margins; 1-keeled; 1-3 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic, or ovate; 3-4.5 mm long; 0.8-0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; with hyaline margins; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma ovate; oblong in profile; 3.5-5 mm long; membranous; much thinner above; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliate; hairy below. Lemma lateral veins stopping well short of apex. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy on veins. Lemma margins ciliate; hairy below. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma. Palea keels ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; membranous. Anthers 3; 1.5-2.5 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform.
Vegetative Multiplication
Vegetative proliferation occurs.
Distribution
Europe: northern, central, southwestern, southeastern, and eastern. Africa: north. Asia-temperate: Siberia, Soviet far east, Soviet Middle Asia, Caucasus, western Asia, China, Mongolia, and eastern Asia. Asia-tropical: India. North America: Subarctic, western Canada, eastern Canada, northwest USA, and southwest USA.
Reference
Poeae. CEH.

Doubtfully present in:

Algeria

Native to:

Afghanistan, Alaska, Albania, Alberta, Altay, Austria, Baltic States, British Columbia, Bulgaria, Buryatiya, Colorado, Corse, Czechoslovakia, East European Russia, Finland, France, Føroyar, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Greenland, Iceland, Idaho, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Krasnoyarsk, Labrador, Magadan, Manitoba, Mexico Gulf, Michigan, Mongolia, Montana, Morocco, Nepal, Nevada, New Brunswick, New Mexico, Newfoundland, North Caucasus, North European Russi, Northwest European R, Northwest Territorie, Norway, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Oregon, Pakistan, Poland, Qinghai, Québec, Romania, Saskatchewan, Sicilia, Spain, Svalbard, Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Tibet, Transcaucasus, Turkey, Tuva, Ukraine, Utah, Uzbekistan, Washington, West Himalaya, West Siberia, Wyoming, Xinjiang, Yugoslavia, Yukon

Poa alpina L. appears in other Kew resources:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status
Jan 1, 2016 Kotschy, T. [104], Turkey K000641311
Jan 1, 1936 Pohle., R. [s.n.] K000633896
Jan 1, 1936 Pohle., R. [s.n.] K000633895
s.coll. [s.n.], France K000641284
Hoppe [s.n.] K000641285
Tineo [s.n.], Italy K000641287
Domin, K. [364], Slovakia K000641282
[Aperrinia] [63.33] K000641288
Willkomm [425], Spain K000641290
[Czetz, C.] [s.n.], Romania K000641281
Todaro [479], Italy K000641286
[Fischer] [s.n.] K000641283
Switzerland K000641279
Balbis [s.n.], Italy K000641289 Unknown type material
Switzerland K000641280

First published in Sp. Pl.: 67 (1753)

Accepted by

  • Aver'ianov, L.V. & al. (2006). Illyustrirovannyi opredelitel' rastenii Leningradskoi oblasti: 1-799. Nauka, Moskva.
  • Bor, N.L. (1970). Flora Iranica 70: 1-573. Naturhistorisches Museums Wien.
  • Clayton, W.D., Harman, K.T. & Williamson, H. (2006). World Grass Species - Synonymy database The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Cope, T.A. (1982). Flora of Pakistan 143: 1-678. Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi.
  • Dobignard, D. & Chatelain, C. (2010). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 1: 1-455. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.
  • Fedorov, A.A. (ed.) (1999). Flora of Russia. The European part and bordering regions 1: 1-546. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, Broekfield.
  • Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2007). Flora of North America North of Mexico 24: 1-908. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.
  • Grubov, V.I. (2008). Key to the vascular plants of Mongolia (with an atlas) 2: 1-503. Academy of Sciences, Mongolian People's Republic, Ulaan Bator.
  • Kandwal, M.K. & Gupta, B.K. (2009). An update on grass flora of Uttarkhand Indian Journal of Forestry 32: 657-668.
  • Karthikeyan, S., Jain, S.K., Nayar, M.P. & Sanjappa, M. (1989). Florae Indicae Enumeratio: Monocotyledonae: 1-435. Botanical Survey of India, Calcutta.
  • Kavousi, M., Assadi, M. & Nejadsattari, T. (2015). Taxonomic revision of the genus Poa L. in Iran, new additions to Flora Iranica, and a new identification key Turkish Journal of Botany 39: 105-127.
  • Kharkevich, S.S., Probatova, N.S. & Novikov, V.S. (1985). Sosudistye rasteniia sovetskogo Dal’nego Vostoka 1: 1-383. Izd-vo "Nauka," Leningradskoe otd-nie, Leningrad.
  • Malyschev, L.I. & Peschkova, G.A. (eds.) (2001). Flora of Siberia 2: 1-362. Scientific Publishers, Inc., Enfield, Plymouth.
  • Marhold, K. (ed.) (2013). IAPT/IOPB chromosome data 16 Taxon 62: 1355-1360.
  • Press, J.R. et al. (2000). Annotated Checklist of the Flowering Plants of Nepal: i-x, 1-430. Natural History Museum, London.
  • Soreng, R.J. & Peterson, P.M. (2012). Revision of Poa L. (Poaceae, Pooideae, Poeae, Poinae) in Mexico: new records, re-evaluation of P. ruprechtii, and two new species, P. palmeri and P. wendtii PhytoKeys 15: 1-104.
  • Takhtajan, A.L. (ed.) (2006). Konspekt Flora Kavkaza 2: 1-466. Editio Universitatis Petropolitanae.
  • Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1980). Flora Europaea 5: 1-452. Cambridge University Press.
  • Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2006). Poaceae Flora of China 22: 1-733. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.

Literature

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Aver'ianov, L.V. & al. (2006). Illyustrirovannyi opredelitel' rastenii Leningradskoi oblasti: 1-799. Nauka, Moskva.
  • Bor, N.L. (1970). Flora Iranica 70: 1-573. Naturhistorisches Museums Wien.
  • Davis, P.H. (ed.) (1985). Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands 9: 1-724. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.
  • Dobignard, D. & Chatelain, C. (2010). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 1: 1-455. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.
  • Fedorov, A.A. (ed.) (1999). Flora of Russia. The European part and bordering regions 1: 1-546. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, Broekfield.
  • Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2007). Flora of North America North of Mexico 24: 1-908. Oxford University Press, New York, Oxford.
  • Grubov, V.I. (2008). Key to the vascular plants of Mongolia (with an atlas) 2: 1-503. Academy of Sciences, Mongolian People's Republic, Ulaan Bator.
  • Kandwal, M.K. & Gupta, B.K. (2009). An update on grass flora of Uttarkhand Indian Journal of Forestry 32: 657-668.
  • Kharkevich, S.S., Probatova, N.S. & Novikov, V.S. (1985). Sosudistye rasteniia sovetskogo Dal’nego Vostoka 1: 1-383. Izd-vo "Nauka," Leningradskoe otd-nie, Leningrad.
  • Malyschev, L.I. & Peschkova, G.A. (eds.) (2001). Flora of Siberia 2: 1-362. Scientific Publishers, Inc., Enfield, Plymouth.
  • Marhold, K. (ed.) (2012). IAPT/IOPB chromosome data 14 Taxon 61: 1336-1345.
  • Meades, S.J. & Brouillet, L. (2019). Annotated Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Newfoundland and Labrador https://www.newfoundland-labradorflora.com/checklist/.
  • Merkodovich, N.A. (ed.) (1941). Flora Uzbekistana 1: 1-566. Izd-va Akademii nauk Uzbekskoi SSR, Tashkent.
  • Ovczinnikov, P.N. (ed.) (1957). Flora Tadzhikskoi SSR 1: 1-547. Izd-vo Akademii nauk SSSR, Moskva.
  • Pavlov, N.V. (ed.) (1956). Flora Kazakhstana 1: 1-354. Alma-Ata, Izd-vo Akademii nauk Kazakhskoi SSR.
  • Press, J.R. et al. (2000). Annotated Checklist of the Flowering Plants of Nepal: i-x, 1-430. Natural History Museum, London.
  • Roshevitz, R.J. & al. (eds.) (1950). Flora Kirgizskoi SSR 2: 1-315. Frunze : Izd-vo KirgizFAN SSSR.
  • Soreng, R.J. & Peterson, P.M. (2012). Revision of Poa L. (Poaceae, Pooideae, Poeae, Poinae) in Mexico: new records, re-evaluation of P. ruprechtii, and two new species, P. palmeri and P. wendtii PhytoKeys 15: 1-104.
  • Takhtajan, A.L. (ed.) (2006). Konspekt Flora Kavkaza 2: 1-466. Editio Universitatis Petropolitanae.
  • Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1980). Flora Europaea 5: 1-452. Cambridge University Press.
  • Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2006). Poaceae Flora of China 22: 1-733. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families 2022. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
    © Copyright 2017 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0