Poa alpina L.

Graminae

Synonyms

Common names

Alpine meadowgrass (English), Paturin des Alpes (French), Alpen rispengras (German).

Description

Perennial plant, small size, hairless, cespitous. Stems erect, 8 - 40 cm high, not very leafy. Blade folded when young, short, firm, 2 - 5 mm wide. Ligule of the upper leaves long (up to 6 mm), oblong-acute. Ligule of the lower leaves shorter. No auricles. Panicle-like inflorescence, spreading, short, ovate or pyramidal, contracted after flowering. Spikelets 4 - 8 - flowered, big, without woolly hairs at the base, often affected by vivipary (miniature plants developing in the flowers). Chromosome number: 2n = 14 or 21 or 35 or 42 etc.

Temperature

Adapted to boreal and mountain climates.

Soil

Optimum on normally drained soils. Optimum on soils moderately provided in nutrients (mesotrophic species).

Distribution

Native to cold areas and to mountains of the northern hemisphere. Mainly in the alpine level of mountain areas.

References