Sunday 15 April 2012

Poa trivialis - Rough Meadow-grass

Grass of the Month for April 2012
(See other months' grasses)

Poa trivialis grows

  • beside woodland footpaths, 
  • in gardens, 
  • in species rich hay meadows, 
  • in damp meadows that have been so heavily fertilised that they hold little else except Ryegrass and Poa trivialis
  • beside streams
  • in nettle patches 
  • on roadside verges


Vegetatively, Poa trivialis is easy to recognise.
Well I think so
.
The above plant found on a woodland footpath makes a flattened tuft. If growing in a meadow you might  find just individual fine shoots threading through the sward, with the emerging leaf folded and the blades folded, and the sheaths compressed.

Can you see how the narrow shoots Trail along the ground? - they are Tiny and Trivial.

The shoots are very compressed. They lie flat against the ground and look Trampled on.

The underside of the blades are shiny (when folded, it is only the undersides that you see). With raindrops, they are so shiny they almost Twinkle

Get it?
Tiny, Trivial,  Trailing shoots that look Trampled on and have Twinkling undersides to the blades
Twinkling for Twivialis.

If there is sufficient light, the sides of the sheathsl  facing the light are Terra-cotta coloured (plum coloured), whilst the blades are Tree green  (Tree green means bright mid green - not bluish as in Poa pratensis or whitish as in Poa annua)

Later in the year some of the trailing shoots might root so then they become stolons.

The blades are  Tapering and thus Triangular - like a long isosceles triangle


The above photo of two vegetative blades is useful because as well as showing the tapering nature of the blade, it shows the characteristic vegetative features of nearly all Meadow-grasses:- tramlines (two central grooves) the boat shaped tip (with imagination).

It also show a  SHORT ligule.

"Short ligule?" you ask. "Doesn't Poa trivialis have a long ligule - to distinguish it from the short ligule of Poa pratensis?"

Answer:- the flowering shoot of Poa trivialis has a long ligule, but the vegetative shoots have short ligules.


Poa trivialis growing on the bank of the river Laver
near where it joins the Skell. Note Ground  Elder. see how they trail



The flowers?
They come out in May-July and  have "Christmas-tree panicles, just like the other Poas.  - It is the vegetative trainling shoots that are so distinctive...
But the flowering shoots, which start to grow in April,  grow vertically (even before the flower pokes out), and higher up the shoot they have LONG ligules, and rough sheaths - Hence the name    "Rough Meadow-grass"


Can you remember all the Tr adjectivies for Poa trivialis?
Trilling. Triumphant - Tremendous - trivialis - and the other ones?

(See other months' grasses)

Friday 6 April 2012

Good Friday Passion Play - Settle - 2012

Churches Together in Settle and District held the Passion Play at Settle,on 6 April 2012 acting scenes leading up to the crucifixion.
See three videos at foot of post.

Come to Settle on 4 April 2015 to see this play in 2015: Starts 10.30am at St John's Methodist church Hall


See pictures from 2013
See pictures from 2012
See pictures from 2011

(We will be doing it again in 2015 on April 4 2015)
Jesus, played by John Bavington washes the disciples feet.
(In the background is a small choir)

Washing the disciples feet

The crowd watches


And in the distance two Roman soldiers and Annas, the  High Priest look on.

The disciples fall asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane


Jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemane



Jesus is arrested

and is marched up to

His trial (in Settle Market Place)

Caiaphas the High Priest hears evidence



Pontius Pilate listens. The crowds shouts "Barabas". Pilate wahses his hands of the affair.

Jesus is crucified.
Three people give moving accounts of the crucifixion, including Mary Magdalene and the Roman Centurion. The choir sings "When I survey the wondrous cross".  It was a moving performance.

 Below is a video clip of Mary Magdalene. click on the arrow


Here the Centurion gives his thoughts





When I survey the wondrous cross

Afterwards there are hot cross buns and coffee in the Parish Church
See pictures from 2013
See pictures from 2012
See pictures from 2011
See pictures from 2009

Tuesday 3 April 2012

Easter at Settle 2011 videos and upcoming 2012 events

At Settle we have several outdoor events each Easter.
This year we will again have the Passion Play on Good Friday starting at 10pm outside the Catholic Church, with four scenes acted out around town.
 At 6.30am on Easter Sunday there is an open air service at the Millennium Gardens at booths Car Park.
Various individual churches then have special services.
Do join us.

Here are videos from last year:

1. The Centurion:




2. Were the whole realm of nature mine:



3. Easter Sunrise Service at Millennium Gardens:-



4.Settle Methodist Church - Dressing the Cross




Below are photographs of the Good Friday Walk
Pictures from the Passion Play "Journey to the cross" at Settle this Good Friday morning.









Singing the final hymn