''Poa cuspidata'', commonly called early bluegrass,
is a species of flowering plant in the grass family (
Poaceae
Poaceae ( ), also called Gramineae ( ), is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos, the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivate ...
). It is native to the eastern
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, where its range extends from Appalachian regions into the Coastal Plain, where it is less common.
In the Appalachian mountains, it is a common species found in forest openings.
''Poa cuspidata'' derives its common name from its early flowering period, which begins in March with the very first spring wildflowers. Within its range, other ''Poa'' generally bloom later in the spring season.
Description
''Poa cuspidata'' is a
rhizomatous
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...
perennial
In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...
.
[ Its culms are loosely tufted and range from in height. Its leaf blades are wide and its ]leaf sheath
A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, fl ...
s are pubescent The adjective pubescent may describe:
* people or animals undergoing puberty
* plants that are hairy, covered in trichomes
* insects that are covered in setae
In biology, setae (; seta ; ) are any of a number of different bristle- or hair-lik ...
, especially at their base. The plant has a loose and nodding panicle
In botany, a panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a p ...
, with branches that bear three or four flowered spikelets
A spikelet, in botany, describes the typical arrangement of the inflorescences of grasses, sedges and some other monocots.
Each spikelet has one or more florets. The spikelets are further grouped into panicles or spikes. The part of the spikelet ...
.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q10807708
cuspidata