Poa pratensis L., Sp. Pl. 1: 67-68, 1753.

Soreng, Robert J., Sylvester, Steven P., Sylvester, Mitsy D. P. V. & Clark, Vincent Ralph, 2020, New records and key to Poa (Pooideae, Poaceae) from the Flora of Southern Africa region and notes on taxa including a diclinous breeding system in Poa binata, PhytoKeys 165, pp. 27-50 : 27

Poa pratensis L., Sp. Pl. 1: 67-68, 1753.

Type.

Russia. Prov. Sanct-Petersburg: 5 km australi-occidentum, 26 June 1997, N.N. Tzvelev N-257 (conserved type, designated by Soreng and Barrie 1999: 157: BM!; isotypes: B!, C!, CAN!, CONC!, H!, K!, KW!, L!, LE!, LIV!, MA!, MO!, MW!, NSW!, P!, PE!, PR!, S!, SI!, TNS!, US (US3456252!), W!).

Many heterotypic synonyms.

- P. sect. Poa . Type, P. pratensis L. (Type of genus Poa L.)

Distribution.

widespread in Lesotho and South Africa. Introduced, mainly from European sources, native and widespread in Eurasia (also native in part in North America) and now around the world.

Ecology.

cool temperate to subarctic, mesic habitats.

Flowering.

late spring early summer, to late summer at high elevations.

Vouchers.

Lesotho. West of Sehlabathebe National Park, on grassy slopes above the Leqooa-Legowa river, S29.859179 E29.055580, 2310 m alt., sandstone substrate, mesic soil on steep grassy W facing slopes, 21 Feb 2020, S.P. Sylvester et al. 3571 (US). South Africa. Eastern Cape: Naudes Nek pass, near Rhodes, in grassland next to radio tower, S30.765121 E28.092349, 2585 m alt., basaltic substrate, alpine tussock grassland transitioning to low shrubland dominated by Erica and Helichrysum , fairly heavily grazed by sheep and cattle, gently sloping, moderately deep soil, 13 Feb 2020, S.P. Sylvester et al. 3499 (PRE, US).

Notes.

There are three major subspecies recognised in Poa pratensis : subsp. angustifolia , irrigata and pratensis . Intermediate specimens are common and difficult to place. Cope and Gray (2009) provide a good account of the distinctions, also see Soreng (2007). Facultatively apomictic. 2 n = 21-147 (including nearly every number in between). - Php genotype.