Annual meadow-grass
Poa annua
Auricles
Absent
Description
Familiar small, pale green, loosely tufted annual or short lived perennial, very variable in size: 5-30 cm. Flowering head is branched and spreading, triangular in outline. Spikelets are small and awnless.
Leaf blade
Light green with boat-shaped tip. Blade often crinkled or puckered and hairless. It is slightly keeled, with 'tramlines' and is folded in shoot.
Ligule
Medium: 2-5 mm. Roundly pointed and serrated.
Importance
Very common in all arable areas especially on acid soils. It has become a severe problem in some localities due to its ability to germinate and set seed throughout the year. It is not particularly competitive however, but in wetter areas it may cause harvesting difficulties.
