POA ANNUA

11. Poa annua L. Annual Bluegrass, Low Speargrass, Annual Meadowgrass.

   A low-growing, glabrous, tufted annual of cultivated and waste ground, paths, lawns and barnyards; widely distributed in the regions studied; flowering and fruiting readily even when severely tramped and frequently clipped.

   Leaves folded in the bud-shoot. Sheath compressed and slightly keeled, glabrous, light green, split part way only; margins membranous and usually overlapping. Auricles absent. Collar distinct, glabrous, pale green, V-shaped. Ligule membranous, white, 1.0 to 3.0 mm. (usually 1.2 to 1.8 mm.) long, acute, entire. Blade 1.5 to 4 mm. wide, 2 to 8 cm. long, flat or V-shaped in section at base with sub-acute tip, light green, not glossy, thin, soft, often cross-wrinkled; two distinct light lines may be seen along the midvein by transmitted light; margins glabrous, slightly scabrous towards tip; the blades are widely spreading from the axis of the shoot.

   Its non-stoloniferous habit, its soft, pale green and generally puckered blades, and its white, fairly conspicuous ligules are diagnostic.