The Blue Herb of Limestone Ridges

Habit: Small perennial herbaceous plant growing in dense, compact tufts. Leaves: Green-glaucous. The blade is narrow (1–2 mm), stiff, and generally keeled, that is, folded like a boat’s keel. A distinctive feature is the pale cartilaginous margin, always present along the edges although very thin. The ligule, the small membrane between blade and sheath, is markedly elongated (4–5 mm) in both lower and upper leaves. Flowers: Gathered in a generally dense panicle, supported by robust branches with an erect-spreading habit. The spikelets, 4–6 mm long, contain 3 to 6 flowers and are often elegantly mottled with violet. The lemma measures 3–4 mm, while the palea is covered with minute hooked hairs. Fruits: An oblong caryopsis. Flowering: June–July.

Chorological type: Southeastern European orophyte. Distribution in Italy: Considered a rare species in the national territory. It is found in localised stations in the Dolomites, the Cottian and Maritime Alps, and along the uplands of the Central and Southern Apennines. Habitat: A pioneer species of limestone ridges and stony slopes, present from 100 m up to 2800 m a.s.l.

Generic name (Poa): Directly derived from the Greek póa, meaning generically “grass” or “fodder,” indicating the importance of this genus for grazing. Specific name (molinerii): The epithet honours Ignazio Bernardo Molineri (1741–1818), head gardener of the Botanical Garden of Turin and a distinguished expert on the Piedmontese flora, who contributed significantly to the collection and study of Alpine botanical specimens.