Poa bulbosa L.

 ALA  NSL [legitimate]
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Linnaeus, C. (1 May 1753), Species Plantarum 1: 70

Nomenclature

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Walsh, N.G., Weiller, C.M. & Thompson, I.R. in Wilson, A.J.G. (ed.) (2009), Poa. Flora of Australia 44A: 310, Fig. 41G-H
 APC
 NSL
taxonomic synonym: Poa bulbosa var. vivipara Koeler: 310
common name: Bulbous Meadow Grass: ~ 310, Fig. 41G-H
common name: Bulbous Poa: ~ 310, Fig. 41G-H
  Walsh, N.G., Weiller, C.M. & Thompson, I.R. in Wilson, A.J.G. (ed.) (2009), Poa. Flora of Australia 44A: 310, Fig. 41G-H
 APC
 NSL
taxonomic synonym: Poa bulbosa var. vivipara Koeler: 310
common name: Bulbous Meadow Grass: ~ 310, Fig. 41G-H
common name: Bulbous Poa: ~ 310, Fig. 41G-H

Specimens

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Common Name

Bulbous Poa, Bulbous Meadow Grass, Bulbous Bluegrass, Bulbous-rooted Poa.

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Description

Caespitose perennial (annual in hard sites). Culms 7–45 cm high; mid-culm internodes glabrous. Young shoots intravaginal. Leaves: basal sheaths swollen and hardened, forming a bulblike structure, with margins connate in lower ⅙–½, glabrous, often purplish; ligule 1.5–6 (–8) mm long, acuminate to obtuse, apically glabrous, abaxially glabrous or sparsely hairy; blade flat or folded, 2–11 cm long, 1.7–2.6 mm wide (or 0.6–1.3 mm when folded), adaxially glabrous, abaxially usually glabrous or sometimes midrib scabrous towards apex or rarely puberulous. Panicles contracted, 2–6 cm long (larger in 'viviparous' specimens). Spikelets (3–) 4.2–5.5 mm long, with 3–6 bisexual florets. Glumes 3-veined, with lateral veins short; lower glume 2.3–3.6 mm long; upper glume 2.6–3.8 mm long. Web present or absent. Lemma 2.5–3.8 mm long, 3 or 5-veined; keel villous in lower ½–¾ and scabrous above; marginal veins prominently ciliate in lower half; intercostal regions glabrous in lower florets and puberulous in upper florets. Anthers (1–) 1.7–2 mm long.

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Diagnostic Features

Readily distinguished by the swollen, fleshy basal sheaths.

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Phenology

Flowers and fruits September–February.

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Biostatus

Naturalised.

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Distribution

Native to the Mediterranean, now widespread. Occurs across southern Australia.

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Habitat

Commonly found in dry, disturbed sites, e.g. roadsides, wastelands or grasslands.

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Representative Herbarium Specimens

W.A.: Muresk, Oct. 1934, C.A. Gardner (PERTH).

S.A.: Tarnma, Tothill Range, c. 90 km NNE of Adelaide, D.N. Kraehenbuehl 2316 (AD).

N.S.W.: Tarlo (Goulburn–Taralga), 11 Oct. 1963, H. Doing (CANB).

A.C.T.: Burbong, Kowen District, R. Pullen 3885 (CANB, NSW).

Vic.: subblock 34B, section F, Marma State Forest, Wimmera Study Area, A.C. Beauglehole 85547 (CANB, MEL).

Tas.: Township Lagoon, Tunbridge, A. Moscal 3870 (HO, MEL).

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Illustrations

C.E. Hubbard, Grasses 2nd edn, 170 (1968); N.G. Walsh & T.J. Entwisle (eds), Flora of Victoria 2: 422, fig. 83g–h (1994), as var. bulbosa; J. Jessop et al., Grasses of South Australia: 146, fig. 97 (2006); A.J.G. Wilson (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A: 308, fig. 41G–H (2009).

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Bibliography

Edgar, E. (1986). Poa L. in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 24: 425–503.

Walsh, N.G. (1994). Poa (Poaceae), in Walsh, N.G. & Entwisle, T.J. (eds), Flora of Victoria 2: 415–435. (Inkata Press: Melbourne).

Walsh, N.G., Weiller, C.M. & Thompson, I.R. (2009). Poa (Poaceae), in Wilson, A.J.G. (ed.), Flora of Australia 44A: 301–338. (ABRS: Canberra/CSIRO: Melbourne).

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Source

Adapted from N.G. Walsh, C.M. Weiller & I.R. Thompson, Poa, Flora of Australia 44A: 301–338 (2009).

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Taxonomy from

Australian Plant Image Index
Poa bulbosa by Hadobas, P., 05/10/2016 (© Hadobas, P.)

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Characters

From the Acacia characters species list, created by on Mar 12, 2015.
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© Copyright Commonwealth of Australia, 2024
Last updated: System; Feb 20, 2020 12:41 Status: Legacy

Author - N.G. Walsh, C.M. Weiller, I.R. Thompson

Contributor - John R. Busby (ed. 28 December 2024)

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Acknowledgements -

Cite this profile as: N.G. Walsh, C.M. Weiller, I.R. Thompson. Poa bulbosa, in (ed.), Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Poa%20bulbosa [Date Accessed: 19 September 2025]