Roadless Areas
Home/Species/ Nodding Bluegrass

Poa reflexa

Vasey & Scribn. ex Vasey

Nodding Bluegrass

G5Secure Found in 2 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.155017
Element CodePMPOA4Z240
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicendemic to a single nation
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyPoaceae
GenusPoa
Other Common Names
nodding bluegrass (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2026-04-15
Change Date1988-02-24
Edition Date2026-04-15
Edition AuthorsSoteropoulos (2026)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent200,000-2,500,000 square km (about 80,000-1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences81 to >300
Rank Reasons
Poa reflexa is a wide-ranging perennial graminoid found in a variety of open habitats, including openings in subalpine forests, subalpine and alpine meadows, low alpine habitats, snow-beds, streamsides, talus slopes and steep slopes with loose soil, rocky ledges and ridges. It occurs in the western United States, primarily in the central and southern Rocky Mountains, from western Montana west to eastern Oregon south to north-central New Mexico and Arizona. There are over 150 occurrences, and likely over 300, which potentially face threats from development, road maintenance, and invasive species. Little is known about trends, but with a large range extent and large number of occurrences, abundant habitat, and broad habitat preferences, this species is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Poa reflexa occurs in the western United States, primarily in the central and southern Rocky Mountains, from western Montana west to eastern Oregon south to north-central New Mexico and Arizona (FNA 2007, Heil and O'Kane 2025, MTNHP 2026, OSU 2026). Range extent was estimated to be over 700,000 square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025 (RARECAT 2025, GBIF 2026, iNaturalist 2026, NatureServe 2026, SEINet 2026).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are over 150 occurrences rangewide (RARECAT 2025, GBIF 2026, iNaturalist 2026, NatureServe 2026, SEINet 2026). If historical data are included, there are several hundred occurrences. This diminutive grass is likely overlooked in photo-based observations, underrepresented in herbaria collections, not all collections are georeferenced, and anecdotal comments support the likelihood that there are over 300 occurrences rangewide.
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, this species is potentially threatened by stressors, including development, road maintenance, and invasive species. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range, large number of occurrences, tolerance of light disturbance, and affinity for typically abundant habitats.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Poa reflexa grows in open habitats, including openings in subalpine forests (including spruce-fir communities and under aspen and lodgepole pine), subalpine and alpine meadows, low alpine habitats, snow-beds, streamsides, talus slopes and steep slopes with loose soil, rocky ledges and ridges, and disturbed habitats, such as road cuts (FNA 2007, Welsh et al. 2015, Heil and O'Kane 2025, MTNHP 2026, OSU 2026).

Ecology

This species tolerates dry sites and some disturbance (FNA 2007).
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest - ConiferForest - MixedWoodland - ConiferWoodland - MixedGrassland/herbaceousAlpineBare rock/talus/screeCliff
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
NevadaS1Yes
MontanaS4Yes
IdahoSNRYes
ArizonaSNRYes
ColoradoS4Yes
WyomingS4Yes
New MexicoSNRYes
OregonS2Yes
UtahSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined———

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL, Short-lived
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (2)
Wyoming (2)
AreaForestAcres
French CreekMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest5,928
Snowy RangeMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest29,660
References (11)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2007a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 24. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, part 1. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxviii + 911 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2026. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2026).
  3. Heil, K.D., and S.L. O'Kane. 2025. Vascular plants of New Mexico. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis. 1119 pp.
  4. iNaturalist. 2026. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2026).
  5. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  6. Montana Natural Heritage Program (MTNHP). 2026. Montana Field Guide. Online. Available: http://fieldguide.mt.gov (Accessed 2026).
  7. NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  8. Oregon State University (OSU). 2026. Oregon Flora website. Oregon State University Herbarium at Oregon State University. Online. Available: https://oregonflora.org/ (accessed 2026).
  9. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  10. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2026. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2026).
  11. Welsh, S.L., N.D. Atwood, S. Goodrich, and L.C. Higgins. (Eds). 2015. A Utah flora, fifth edition, revised 2015. Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, Provo, Utah. 987 pp.