Aira

Aira is a genus of Old World plants in the grass family, native to western and southern Europe, central and southwest Asia, plus Africa.[4][5]

For other uses, see Aira (disambiguation).

Aira
Aira caryophyllea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Pooideae
Supertribe: Poodae
Tribe: Poeae
Subtribe: Airinae
Genus: Aira
L.
Type species
Aira praecox
Synonyms[3]
  • Aira sect. Airella Dumort.
  • Airella (Dumort.) Dumort.
  • Aspris Adans.
  • Caryophyllea Opiz
  • Fiorinia Parl.
  • Fussia Schur
  • Salmasia Bubani

The common name, shared with the similar related genera Deschampsia and Koeleria, is hair-grass, from the very slender leaves and stems. The species typically occur on dry, sandy sites, and grow to 20–40 cm tall.

Several species are grown as ornamental plants for their very delicate airy seed heads, used in dried flower arrangements.

Species[6][7]
  • Aira caryophyllea - Europe, North Africa, alpine Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, Caucasus, Tibet
  • Aira cupaniana - Canary Islands, Mediterranean
  • Aira elegantissima - Central Europe, Mediterranean, Iran, Caucasus
  • Aira × hybrida - Switzerland
  • Aira praecox - Europe, Canary Is, Turkey
  • Aira provincialis - France incl Corsica
  • Aira scoparia - Macedonia
  • Aira tenorei - Mediterranean
  • Aira uniaristata Portugal, Spain, Libya, Morocco
formerly included[6]

Many species now considered better suited to other genera: Agrostis, Antinoria, Arundinella, Arundo, Catabrosa, Colpodium, Corynephorus, Cyrtococcum, Deschampsia, Ehrharta, Eragrostis, Eremopoa, Eriachne, Eustachys, Hierochloe, Koeleria, Molinia, Pentameris, Peyritschia, Poa, Puccinellia, Rostraria, Scolochloa, Sesleria, Sphenopholis, Sporobolus, Tricholaena, Trisetum etc

Aira sp. inflorescence

See also

References
  1. lectotype designated by Hitchcock, International Bot. Congr. Cambridge (England), 1930. Nomenclature. Proposals by British Botanists 114-155 (1929)
  2. Tropicos, Aira L.
  3. Soreng, R. J., G. Davidse, P. M. Peterson, F. O. Zuloaga, E. J. Judziewicz, T. S. Filgueiras & O. Morrone. 2003 and onwards. On-line taxonomic novelties and updates, distributional additions and corrections, and editorial changes since the four published volumes of the Catalogue of New World Grasses (Poaceae) published in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. vols. 39, 41, 46, and 48. http://www.tropicos.org/Project/CNWG:. In R. J. Soreng, G. Davidse, P. M. Peterson, F. O. Zuloaga, T. S. Filgueiras, E. J. Judziewicz & O. Morrone (eds.) Internet Catalogue of New World Grasses. Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis.
  4. Linnaeus, Carl von. 1753. Species Plantarum 1: 63-66 in Latin
  5. Altervista Flora Italiana, genere Aira
  6. Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  7. The Plant List search for Aira


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