Home/Species/ Canada Bluegrass

Poa compressa

Canada Bluegrass

GNRUnranked Found in 6 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

GNRUnrankedGlobal Rank

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.144119

Element CodePMPOA4Z0K0

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassMonocotyledoneae

OrderCyperales

FamilyPoaceae

GenusPoa

Other Common Names

Canada bluegrass (EN) Pâturin comprimé (FR)

Concept Reference

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Conservation Status

Change Date1994-03-22

Range Extent Comments

Despite its common name, Canada bluegrass (Poa compressa) is undisputedly considered to be a European introduction (Hitchcock 1950, USDA 1948, Fernald 1950, Gleason and Cronquist 1953). Its North American range appears to be the same as that of Poa pratensis.

Ecology & Habitat

Diagnostic Characteristics

The genus Poa is distinguished by its flat leaf blades, 2-6 flowered panicles, 1-3 nerved glumes and tuft of cobwebby hairs at the base of the 5-nerved lemmas (Gleason 1957, Mohlenbrock 1972, Hitchcock 1950).

Poa compressa is visually separated from Poa pratensis by its blue-green foliage, distinctly flat culms and narrow compact inflorescence (Gleason and Cronquist 1953, USDA 1948). Bases of the strongly keeled lemmas are less conspicuously cobwebby than on Poa pratensis (Gleason and Cronquist 1953).

Habitat

Poa compressa prefers "poor" (Hitchcock 1950) and acid soils (Gleason and Cronquist 1953) and is most prevalent on drier sites (USDA 1948, W. Smith pers. comm., Kline pers. comm.).

Terrestrial Habitats

Grassland/herbaceousOld field

Palustrine Habitats

SCRUB-SHRUB WETLAND

Other Nations (2)

CanadaNNA

Province	Rank	Native
Saskatchewan	SNA	No
Island of Newfoundland	SNA	No
Labrador	SNA	No
Nova Scotia	SNA	No
Northwest Territories	SNA	No
Prince Edward Island	SNA	No
Ontario	SNA	No
British Columbia	SNA	No
Alberta	SNA	No
Quebec	SNA	No
New Brunswick	SNA	No
Yukon Territory	SNA	No
Manitoba	SNA	No

United StatesNNR

Province	Rank	Native
Virginia	SNA	No
Alabama	SNA	No
Maine	SNA	No
Utah	SNA	No
North Carolina	SNA	No
Colorado	SNA	No
California	SNA	No
Ohio	SNA	No
Texas	SNA	No
Kansas	SNA	No
Arkansas	SNA	No
Indiana	SNA	No
Massachusetts	SNR	Yes
Nebraska	SNA	No
South Carolina	SNA	No
Idaho	SNA	No
South Dakota	SNA	No
West Virginia	SNA	No
Missouri	SNA	No
Iowa	SNA	No
Mississippi	SNA	No
Nevada	SNA	No
Delaware	SNA	No
New Jersey	SNA	No
Oregon	SNA	No
Tennessee	SNA	No
Oklahoma	SNA	No
Rhode Island	SNA	No
New York	SNA	No
New Mexico	SNA	No
Washington	SNA	No
Illinois	SNA	No
Wyoming	SNA	No
Vermont	SNA	No
New Hampshire	SNA	No
Pennsylvania	SNA	No
Maryland	SNA	No
Wisconsin	SNA	No
Georgia	SNR	Yes
Connecticut	SNA	No
Louisiana	SNA	No
North Dakota	SNA	No
Minnesota	SNA	No
Alaska	SNA	No
Kentucky	SNA	No
Montana	SNA	No
Hawaii	SNA	No
Michigan	SNA	No
District of Columbia	SNA	No
Arizona	SNA	No

Plant Characteristics

DurationPERENNIAL

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (6)

Colorado (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Bristol Head	Rio Grande NF	46,087

Montana (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Bridger	Gallatin National Forest	45,059
Middle Mtn. / Tobacco Roots	Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest	96,487

Oregon (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Echo Mountain	Willamette National Forest	8,098

Washington (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Meadow Creek	Umatilla National Forest	4,882
Willow Springs	Umatilla National Forest	10,414

References (1)

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.