L.
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.149735
Element CodePMPOA4Z210
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyPoaceae
GenusPoa
Other Common NamesKentucky bluegrass (EN) Pâturin des prés (FR)
Concept ReferenceKartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Taxonomic CommentsWhen broadly treated as by Kartesz (1999), includes plants native in North America as well as plants introduced to North America from Eurasia ("Kentucky Bluegrass"). If narrowly treated as in Kartesz (1994), Poa pratensis is primarily if not exclusively Eurasian, widely cultivated worldwide and often persisting or escaping, although considered by some to be native in the more northern portions of North America.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2024-11-15
Change Date2001-02-26
Edition Date2024-11-15
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2024)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank ReasonsPoa pratensis is a perennial grass occurring in alpine to subalpine habitats, meadows and fields, woodlands, and riparian areas. It occurs worldwide as a native species in temperate regions of the world throughout all of North America, Greenland, Mexico, and Eurasia, and as an introduced species elsewhere. There are over 5,000 occurrences of this taxon, which are potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, invasive species, succession, and other threats in some places. Poa pratensis is a highly variable species with many lineages and is widely cultivated for use in lawns and pastures.
Range Extent CommentsPoa pratensis is a common, widespread species occurring globally as a native species in temperate regions of the world throughout all of North America, Greenland, Mexico, and Eurasia (FNA 2007, POWO 2024). It also occurs as an introduced species in South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia (POWO 2024). There has been some disagreement whether Poa pratensis is native in the northern tier of the United States and Canada (Fernald 1950, Gleason and Cronquist 1953), or native in Eurasia and introduced throughout its North American range (Hitchcock 1950). According to the Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2007), the only taxa that are clearly native to North America are ssp. alpigena and ssp. colpodea, which occur in arctic and subarctic regions. Its native range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024). See individual entries for distribution details about the six subspecies.
Occurrences CommentsBy applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, there are estimated to be over 5,000 occurrences within the native range of the species (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).
Threat Impact CommentsAlthough threats are not widely documented, Poa pratensis is potentially threatened by development, rights-of-way maintenance, succession, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats, as well as no obvious intrinsic vulnerabilities.