Relatives
Poa turfosa Litv. - Peat bluegrass.
Taxonomical position.
Family Poaceae Benth, Genus Poa L.Morphology and biology.
Perennial cereal with thin, creeping rhizomes and single vegetative shoots. Forms friable, poorly stalked tussocks. Stalks smooth, (10) 30-60 (80) cm tall, more or less compressed towards the bottom. Leaves narrow, flat or grouped lengthwise, 1-2 (5) mm in width. Ligula 1-3 mm long; in top leaves, length may reach 2-4 mm. Panicle pyramidal, 4-10 cm in length; branchlets usually smooth, sometimes with rare spinules. Spikelets up to 3.5-6 mm in length, 2-5-floral. Bottom floral scales 2-5 mm long, obovate-lanceolate, dark red with yellow-white, filmy edge, plentifully tomentous across keel and veins. Long, twisting hairs on callus are well-developed. Blossoms in June-August. Apomictous. 2n =?.Distribution.
Occurs in the forest zone of the European part of the former USSR and in Western Siberia.Ecology.
Occurs in peat bogs and in a forest belt of mountains.Use and economic value.
Fodder cereal.Literature cited:
Malyshev L.I., Peshkova G.A., eds. 1990. Flora of Siberia. Vol. 2. Poaceae (Gramineae). Novosibirsk: Nauka, 361 pages.Shelyag-Sosonko Yu.R., ed. 1977. Cereals of Ukraine. Kiev: Naukova Dumka, 518 p.
Tzvelev N.N. 1976. Cereals of the USSR. Leningrad: Nauka, 788 pages.