Poa secunda J.S. Presl
One-sided bluegrass
Family: Poaceae
Habit: Perennial grass growing in matted tufts, 1.5 to 10 dm.
Distribution: Commonly scattered from coastal woodland to chaparral and coniferous forest. California to Alaska, Rocky Mountains, northwest Mexico, and South America. Many ecological forms, tends to intergrade.
Seed unit: Multiple floret spikelet or floret with caryopsis.
Seed: (Floret) - Lemma awnless, 3.5 to 5 mm. Amount of pubescence on lemma and whether the lemma is keeled or not help to determine subspecies.
Embryo: Basal lateral embryo area of seed caryopsis.
Purity instructions: Pure seed definition:
AOSA: PSU #14 – Multiple floret spikelet, multiple floret or floret, provided a caryopsis with some degree of endosperm development can be detected. Caryopsis or piece of broken caryopsis larger than one-half of the original size.
ISTA: #41 – Spikelet - with lemma and palea enclosing a caryopsis, plus attached sterile floret. Floret - with lemma and palea enclosing a caryopsis. Caryopsis - piece of caryopsis larger than one-half the original size.
Lab notes: Presence of empty florets common in samples. Blowing point with general blower approximately #11.
Average pure seed units per gram: 2,075 seeds per gram (based on AOSA pure seed units only from 73 samples received for testing from 2002 to 2003).
Range of percent pure seed: 63% to 99%
Range of percent inert: 1% to 35%
Description of inert: Chaff, empty florets, plant material, broken seed.
Planting instructions: 400 seeds, TB, 21 days @ 20-30°C; for fresh and dormant seed, prechill and GA3 recommended.
References: (link to main reference page)
Hickman, J.C., Ed. 1993. p. 1289.
Ransom Seed Laboratory
Smith, C.F. 1998. p. 121.
