Weeds of Australia - Fact Sheet

Top Scientific Name Family Common Names Origin Naturalised Distribution Notes

Scientific Name

Poa annua L.

Family

Gramineae (South Australia)
Poaceae (Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia and the Northern Territory)

Common Names

annual blue grass, annual blue-grass, annual bluegrass, annual meadow grass, annual meadow-grass, annual meadowgrass, annual poa, annual wintergrass, goose grass, low spear grass, sixweeks grass, speargrass, walkgrass, winter grass

Origin

This species probably originated in Europe. It is now very widespread in the temperate regions of the world.

Naturalised Distribution

Widely naturalised in southern and eastern Australia (i.e. in eastern Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria, Tasmania, the south-eastern and southern parts of South Australia, and the southern and western parts of Western Australia). Also naturalised in the southern parts of the Northern Territory and on several of Australia's offshore island territories (i.e. Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island, Macquarie Island, and the Heard and McDonald Islands).

Notes

Winter grass (Poa annua) is regarded as an environmental weed in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia. While this species is most commonly a weed of habitation and agricultural areas, it also invades natural vegetation in the temperate regions of Australia.