Alpine meadow grass

Poa alpina

Family: Poaceae Genus: Poa Species: alpina

Synonyms: Poa flavescens, Poa brizoides, Poa blepharachne, Poa alpina var. digitata, Poa alpina var. involucrata, Poa alpina subsp. involucrata, Poa alpina var. frigida, Poa annua var. glomerata, Poa alpina var. atlantica, Poa elbrussica, Poa macedonica var. nana, Poa alpina var. glomerata, Poa alpina var. bivonae, Poa olympica, Poa hosteana, Poa alpina var. vivipara, Poa discolor, Poa borisii, Poa alpina var. nana, Poa alpina subsp. digitata, Poa alpina var. obtusata, Poa alpina subsp. subalpina, Poa alpina var. stricta, Poa alpina var. alpestris, Poa macedonica, Poa alpina var. flavescens, Poa alpina var. macedonica, Poa alpina subsp. nodosa, Poa alpina f. brevifolia, Poa alpina subsp. vivipara, Poa alpina f. longifolia, Poa subalpina, Poa alpina subsp. atlantica, Poa alpina var. lapponum, Poa alpina subsp. stefanovii, Poa djurdjurae, Poa parnassica, Poa bivonae, Poa macedonica var. pseudovivipara, Poa alpina subsp. fallax, Poa alpina subsp. insularis, Poa violascens, Poa alpina var. nodosa, Poa pratensis var. alpina, Poa frigida, Poa macedonica var. achtarovii, Poa appennina, Poa alpina var. buxicola, Poa insularis, Poa alpina subsp. bivonae, Poa alpina subsp. stenobotrya, Poa alpina var. parva, Poa alpina var. australis, Uralepis mutica, Poa alpina var. rupicaprina, Poa alpina var. intermedia, Poa attenuata, Poa alpina subsp. balcanica, Poa macedonica var. tenuifolia, Poa alpina var. divaricata

Alpine meadow grass (en)

Gallery

Botanical Description

Poa alpina (alpine meadow-grass, alpine bluegrass) is a low-growing, densely tufted perennial bunchgrass of the family Poaceae, typically reaching 10–40 cm tall. The smooth, erect, slender culms arise in compact tussocks from a knotty rootstock and bear short, flat to folded, dark green leaf blades 1.5–4 mm wide with abruptly pointed (boat-shaped) tips and a relatively long, blunt to acute membranous ligule. The inflorescence is a short, dense to slightly open ovate panicle 2–7 cm long, the spreading to erect branches carrying broadly ovate purplish to greenish spikelets each with 3–6 florets; the lemmas are softly hairy on the keel and lower veins. A distinctive feature of many populations is pseudovivipary: in place of normal seeds, the spikelets often produce small leafy plantlets that drop and root to form new individuals. The species has a primarily holarctic distribution across the arctic and high-alpine zones of Europe, Asia, and North America, where it grows in moist alpine meadows, snowbeds, stony grassland, scree margins, and damp calcareous mountain slopes.

Native Region: Afghanistan, Alaska, Albania, Alberta, Altay, Austria, Baltic States, British Columbia, Bulgaria, Buryatiya, Colorado, Corse, Czechoslovakia, East European Russia, Finland, France, Føroyar, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Greenland, Iceland, Idaho, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Krasnoyarsk, Labrador, Magadan, Manitoba, Mexico Gulf, Michigan, Mongolia, Montana, Morocco, Nepal, Nevada, New Brunswick, New Mexico, Newfoundland, North Caucasus, North European Russi, Northwest European R, Northwest Territorie, Norway, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Oregon, Pakistan, Poland, Qinghai, Québec, Romania, Saskatchewan, Sicilia, Spain, Svalbard, Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Tibet, Transcaucasus, Turkey, Tuva, Ukraine, Utah, Uzbekistan, Washington, West Himalaya, West Siberia, Wyoming, Xinjiang, Yugoslavia, Yukon

Cultural & Historical Context

Traditional American Uses

None Documented

Chemistry & External Identifiers

Trefle ID

233590

Important Disclaimer

This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.

Back to Herb Database