Sandberg Bluegrass (ssp. Secunda)
Poa secunda J. Presl (Poa canbyi [Scribn.] Howell, P. gracillima Vasey, P. incurva Scribn., P. sandbergii Vasey, P. scabrella [Thurb.] Benth. ex Vasey =ssp. secunda; P. ampla Merr., P. juncifolia Scribn., P. nevadensis Vasey – ssp. juncifolia)
overview
Perennial, 10-60 cm tall with erect culms growing from a dense tuft of short basal foliage. The blades are short, soft, flat, folded or involute, with ligule acute and prominent. The sheaths are rounded, glabrous and persistent. The inflorescence is a panicle, 2-10 cm long and narrow, yellowish-green to purple on colour, not densely flowered, with branches that are short and appressed becoming somewhat spreading during the flowering period. Spikelets are two to five flowered, 4-6 mm long, terate and acute. The glumes are unequal, papery; the first glume is one to three nerved and 2-5 mm long, the second glume is three nerved and 3-4 mm long. Lemmas are minutely scabrous and crisp-pubescent near the base. Awns are absent (Hitchcock, 1971). Photo by Toni Corelli.
other names
Nevada bluegrass (ssp. juncifolia)
family
Poaceae
ecological setting
Dry woods and open forests, grassy slopes, ridge tops and rocky slopes from low to mid-elevations (Hitchcock, 1971).
soil texture
Wide range from sandy or silt loams to shallow rocky soils (Hitchcock, 1971).
moisture regime
Dry to moist. One of the most drought-resistant of the bluegrasses (Hitchcock, 1971).
shade tolerance
Sun to light shade.
wildlife
Good forage for cattle and fair for other livestock and deer (Hitchcock, 1971).
fruit ripening time
Early summer (Fulbright et al., 1982)
no seeds per kg
1.98 to 2.04 million (Fulbright et al., 1982).
fruit seed dormancy treatment
Plant in fall with no pre-treatment required. Fluctuating temperatures of 12º C (for 16 hours a day) and 17º C (for eight hours) are required for germination. Sow seeds shallowly.
vegetative propagation
Vegetative propagation is not effective with this species (Fulbright et al., 1982)
additional info and photos
For more information and pictures, visit the E-Flora BC website at www.eflora.bc.ca.