Bluegrass (4)

Kentucky Bluegrass
Poa pratensis

Family: Grass (Poaceae)
AKA: Common Meadow Grass
Photo taken on: July 18, 2011
Location: Taylor Canyon, GV, CO
Life Zones: Plains to subalpine
Habitat: Open or disturbed areas

Grows to 3 feet in tufts with wiry stems. Leaves are soft and flat. This is a common lawn grass.

Flower spikes are greenish or purplish, ¼" long and flattened. The cluster makes an open pyramid shape.

Photo taken on: July 13, 2012
Location: Poverty Gulch, GV, CO

Muttongrass
Poa fendleriana

Family: Grass (Poaceae)
AKA: Mutton Bluegrass
Photo taken on: June 22, 2011
Location: Apache Spring Trail, NM
Life Zones: Montane
Habitat: Moist slopes, woodlands

Grows to 2 ½ feet in tufts with a narrower, denser habit than P. pratensis. Flower spikes are about ⅜" long, somewhat flattened, and contain 5 to 7 florets.

Arctic Bluegrass
Poa arctica

Family: Grass (Poaceae)
AKA:
Photo taken on: May 4, 2016
Location: Rim Vista Trail, Carson NF, NM
Life Zones: Montane to alpine
Habitat: Rocky slopes, tundra

Grows to 12" in tufts with a narrower habit than P. pratensis. Leaves are basal and narrow. Flowers grow in a pyramid shaped cluster with slender purple to bronze flower spikes. They are about ½" long and contain 3 to 6 florets.

Inland Bluegrass
Poa nemoralis subsp. interior

Family: Grass (Poaceae)
AKA:
Photo taken on: April 3, 2017
Location: Red Wash Canyon, Abiquiu, NM
Life Zones: Plains to montane
Habitat: Dry open woods

Grows to 2 feet tall with stiff stems which can be purplish towards the base. Narrow leaves grow in a dense tuft from the base. Flower heads are narrow clusters of purplish-green spikelets.