Low Spear Grass

Poa annua L.

These meadow grasses should be listed among the plants that give us
"The flower of every valley, the flower of all the year;" since from early spring until late autumn some representative of the genus may be found in bloom, and in the most Southern States there is rarely a month when Low Spear-Grass is not in flower.

In the Northern States this species is one of the earliest plants to change the brown hillsides to living green, and on lawns and by waysides small tufts of this modest little grass are common throughout nearly the whole country.

Even between the flag-stones of the city, Low Spear-grass tries to obtain foothold, often succeeding and blossoming, though choked by dust and daily trodden under foot.

The flattened stems, usually but six or eight inches in height, bear short, yellowish green panicles which, unlike the flowers of other early grasses, are sent up during the entire summer.

Low Spear-grass. Dwarf Meadow-grass. Poa annua L.

Root annual. Naturalized from Europe.

Stern 2'-12' tall, erect or spreading, flattened. Sheaths loose. Ligule about 1" long. Leaves 1/2'-4' long, about 1" wide, flat.

Panicle 1/2'-4' long, pyramidal, open, often 1-sided, branches short. Spikelets 3-6-flowered, about 2" long. Outer scales slightly unequal, 1st scale acute, 2nd scale obtuse; flowering scales obtuse, hairy at the base. Stamens 3.

Fields, waysides, and cultivated grounds. April to October.

Throughout nearly the whole of North America.