Smooth meadow-grass
Poa pratensis
Description
A very variable tufted perennial usually at crop height 10- 90 cm. Spreads by short slender rhizomes. Lower stem base and leaf sheaths usually smooth. Duller and darker than rough meadow-grass, with blunter leaves. Flowering head is branched and spreading but can be contracted and dense. Spikelets are small and awnless.
Auricles
Absent.
Leaf blade
Dull green or greyish-green with boat-shaped tip. Upper ribless and dull; lower keeled. Hairless with 'tramlines' and folded in shoot.
Smooth meadow-grass ligule
Smooth meadow-grass flower heads
Importance
Widespread, preferring well drained sandy, gravelly and loamy soils - frequently more alkaline. Less important and less competitive than rough meadow-grass but locally troublesome.
Ligule
very short. Upper - short 1- 3 mm.
