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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Alkali Bluegrass
Poa juncifolia Scribn.

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Grass (Gramineae)
Flowering: May-July
Field Marks: This species is similar to Nevada bluegrass (P. nevadensis) in lacking rhizomes, lacking tufted hairs at the base of the lemmas, and having unkeeled lemmas. It differs by its much shorter ligules and slightly shorter spikelet
Habitat: Alkaline meadows, from valleys to mountains.
Habit: Tufted perennial grass without rhizomes.
Stems: Upright, unbranched, up to 2 feet tall, without hairs.
Leaves: Elongated, narrow, rolled up into a tube, up to 8 inches long, up to 1/10 inch wide, without hairs: ligules less than 1/8 inch long.
Flowers: Borne in 2- to 5-flowered spikelets, the spikelets 1/4-1/3 inch long, arranged in a narrow panicle up to 6 inches long; lemmas sometimes minutely hairy but not with a tuft of hairs at the base, unkeeled, up to 1/4 inch long.
Sepals: 0.
Petals: 0.
Stamens: 3.
Pistils: Ovary superior.
Grains: Ellipsoid, smooth.
Notes: This species has been reported from New Mexico.

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/florawe/species/2/poajunc.htm
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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:24:07 EST
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