Smooth Meadow-grass

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Kentucky bluegrass
• Smooth Meadow-Grass
• Smooth Stalked Meadow Grass
• Smooth Meadow Grass
• English meadow grass
• Meadow Grass
• Speargrass
• Wintergrass
• blue grass
• common meadow-grass

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Poa angustifolia var. pratensis
• Poa angustifolia subsp. pratensis
• Paneion pratense

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. It is further classified under the subclass Magnoliidae and the order Poales. Finally, its taxonomic lineage places it in the family Poaceae and the genus Poa.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, known as Kentucky bluegrass, exhibits a specific distribution across various regions of Northern Europe. It can be found growing naturally within the territories of Denmark and Finland. The species also extends its reach to the islands of Føroyar and Iceland. Furthermore, its presence is well-documented throughout the landscape of Great Britain. Together, these locations highlight the plant's prevalence in northern maritime and continental climates.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Poa pratensis is characterized by a broad altitudinal distribution, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum elevation of 4400 m AMSL, with a mean elevational range centered around 2250 m AMSL. This species is frequently found within anthropic areas (Área Antrópicamente), indicating a high degree of adaptability to human-modified landscapes and disturbed environments.

Elevational range max:

4400 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2250 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Genetics

The genetics of Poa pratensis are characterized by a high degree of cytogenetic complexity, primarily due to its extensive polyploid series. The species exhibits a wide range of ploidy levels, ranging from diploid to decaploid, which facilitates significant phenotypic plasticity and environmental adaptability. In its haploid state, the base chromosome number is represented by the value n, serving as the fundamental genetic unit from which various polyploid combinations arise. This evolutionary tendency toward polyploidy, including autopolyploidy and allopolyploidy, contributes to substantial genetic variation within populations, influencing traits such as vigor, tillering capacity, and tolerance to abiotic stressors. The genomic architecture of the species is dynamic, allowing for complex chromosomal rearrangements and varying degrees of heterozygosity across its diverse cytotypes.

Ploidy :

n

Life history

The life history of Poa pratensis is characterized by its nature as a perennial organism, allowing it to persist across multiple growing seasons through robust vegetative and reproductive strategies. As a hemicryptophyte, its perennating buds are located at or just below the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or the substrate, which facilitates its survival through unfavorable environmental conditions. This plant also functions as a geophyte, utilizing underground structures to maintain its biological continuity. In terms of its seasonal foliage, it exhibits an evergreen habit, maintaining its green photosynthetic tissues throughout much of the year, which provides a competitive advantage in various ecological niches.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

geophyte

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Poa pratensis is characterized by a graminoid growth form, specifically categorized as a non-woody herb. As a terrestrial plant, it functions as an independent organism without parasitic tendencies and does not exhibit epiphytic behavior. The plant is self-supporting in its structure and does not possess climbing or vining habits. In terms of stature, it exhibits significant variability in plant height, with individual specimens ranging from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 1.2 m, resulting in an average plant height of approximately 0.353 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

graminoid

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.2 m

Plant height mean:

0.353333333333333 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Poa pratensis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and environmental adaptations. The plant exhibits a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy and does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on soil nutrient availability. Its leaf morphology is highly slender, with a mean width of 0.3 cm, ranging from a minimum of 0.2 cm to a maximum of 0.4 cm. The leaf length is similarly variable, spanning from a minimum of 5 cm to a maximum of 15 cm, resulting in a mean leaf size of 10.25 cm². Furthermore, the plant maintains a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 212.92 cm²/g, reflecting its leaf mass distribution and resource acquisition efficiency.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

15 cm

Leaf length min:

5 cm

Leaf size mean:

10.25 cm²

Leaf width max:

0.4 cm

Leaf width mean:

0.3 cm

Leaf width min:

0.2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

212.92 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Poa pratensis is primarily sexual, characterized by bisexual flowers that facilitate the production of seeds. The flowering period typically begins in May and extends through June, featuring an inflorescence structured as a panicle that ranges in length from 0.04 m to 0.16 m. The individual flowers are relatively small, with lengths varying between 0.25 cm and 0.35 cm. Pollination is an abiotic process driven by the wind, as the plant lacks self-fertilization. Following successful pollination, the plant produces dry fruits containing a significant number of seeds, typically ranging from 101 to 1000 seeds per fruit. The resulting seeds are quite minute, with a mean length of 1.5 mm, a mean width of 0.5 mm, and a mean volume of 0.25 mm³ (ranging from 0.23 to 0.27 mm³). The seed mass is also very low, with a mean of approximately 0.00682 g, though values can range from a minimum of 0.00014 g to a maximum of 0.00052 g. Dispersal is achieved through an anemochorous syndrome, where wind serves as the primary agent, though the dispersal mechanism is also categorized as unspecialized. Asexual reproduction in this species is noted as absent.

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flower length max:

0.35 cm

Flower length min:

0.25 cm

Flowering time :

May

Flowering time :

Jun

Fruit dryness :

dry

Inflorescence :

panicle

Inflorescence length max:

0.16 m

Inflorescence length min:

0.04 m

Pollination syndrome :

wind

Pollination syndrome :

abiotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed length mean:

1.5 mm

Seed mass max:

0.00052 g

Seed mass mean:

0.00682161714285714 g

Seed mass min:

0.00014 g

Seed volume max:

0.27 mm³

Seed volume mean:

0.25 mm³

Seed volume min:

0.23 mm³

Seed width mean:

0.5 mm

Seeds_per_fruit :

101-1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Poa pratensis has 10 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include CHOLINE CHLORIDE, Monogalactosyl-diacylglycerol, Phosphatidylcholine, glycine betaine, histamine.

CHOLINE CHLORIDE

1. Plant & cell physiology

Monogalactosyl-diacylglycerol

1. Plant & cell physiology

Phosphatidylcholine

1. Plant & cell physiology

glycine betaine

1. Plant & cell physiology

histamine

1. Archiv fur Tierernahrung

phosphatidic acid

1. Plant & cell physiology

phosphatidylethanolamine

1. Plant & cell physiology

putrescine

1. Archiv fur Tierernahrung

spermidine

1. Archiv fur Tierernahrung

spermine

1. Archiv fur Tierernahrung

Conditions

Poa pratensis has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include salt stress.

Salt stress

1. Plant & cell physiology