Poa annua L.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Ndundu Lodge, Vumba

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Synonyms:	Poa bipollicaris Hochst.
Common names:	Annual meadow grass (English)
Frequency:
Status:
Description:	Erect or decumbent annual (very rarely perennial), 5–30 cm. Leaves: ligule 2–3 mm; lamina 1.5–10 × 0.1–0.5 cm, flat, keeled, often transversely wrinkled. Panicle 1–8 cm, ± triangular; branches usually 2 together, often becoming reflexed after flowering. Spikelets 3–5 mm, 3–5-flowered, lanceolate; lower glume ovate or lanceolate, 1-veined; upper 3-veined; lemma ovate, 5-veined, margin and apex broadly hyaline.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	annua: annual
Habitat:
Altitude range:
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Worldwide distribution:	Nowadays a near cosmopolitan species; introduced in Africa.
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Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 358. Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 44. Launert, E. (1971). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(1) Pages 49 - 51. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 108. Wursten, B., Timberlake, J. & Darbyshire, I. (2017). The Chimanimani Mountains: an updated checklist. Kirkia 19(1) Page 86.

Other sources of information about Poa annua:

Our websites:

Flora of Malawi: Poa annua
Flora of Zambia: Poa annua
Flora of Zimbabwe: Poa annua

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Poa annua
African Plant Database: Poa annua
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Poa annua
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Poa annua
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Poa annua
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Poa annua
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Poa annua
JSTOR Plant Science: Poa annua
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Poa annua
Plants of the World Online: Poa annua
Tropicos: Poa annua
Wikipedia: Poa annua