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annual silver hairgrass
Scientific Name: Aira elegans
Family: Poaceae
Category: Monocot
Growth: Graminoid
Duration: Annual
Other Names:
Aira caryophyllea - Silver Hairgrass
Aira caryophyllea, commonly known as silver hairgrass, is an annual grass species belonging to the grass family, Poaceae.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Aira caryophyllea L.
- Common Names: Silver hairgrass, Annual Silver Hairgrass, Silver Hair-grass
- Family: Poaceae (Grass family)
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Synonyms:
- Aira capillaris Host
- Aira caryophyllea var. capillaris
- Aira elegantissima
- Alternative Accepted Name: Aira elegans Willd. ex Kunth
Distribution and Habitat
- Native to Eurasia and Africa.
- Introduced and has a fairly wide distribution in North America.
- Found in well-drained sandy and rocky places.
- Habitats include cliff-tops, heaths, summer-parched grasslands, anthills, and stabilised areas.
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- Annual grass, growing for one season.
- Herbaceous annual, reaching 5-30 cm (2-12 in.) in height.
- Culms (stems) are erect, 3-40 (or 55) cm long, and 2-3-noded.
- Leaves are inrolled or channelled, less than 0.5 mm wide.
- Panicle is spreading, not narrow.
- Tufted growth habit with an open, widely branched flowerhead.
Ecology
- May potentially out-compete or replace other annual species.
Similar Species
- Early Hairgrass (Aira praecox) is very similar, but has some distinguishing features.
Resources
- Discover Life: [Referenced, but URL needs to be added]
- Dave's Garden: [Referenced, but URL needs to be added]
- Danin A.: Flora and Vegetation of Israel http://www.botanic.co.il/A/defaulte.htm