Aira

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Monocots
Cladus: Commelinids
Ordo: Poales

Familia: Poaceae
Subfamilia: Pooideae
Tribus: Poeae
Subtribus: Airinae
Genus: Aira
Species: (8)
A. caryophyllea – A. cupaniana – A. elegantissima – A. praecox – A. provincialis – A. scoparia – A. tenorei – A. uniaristata

Name

Aira L., Sp. Pl.: 63 (1753) nom. cons.
Type species: Aira praecox L., Sp. Pl.: 65 (1753)

Synonyms

Heterotypic
Aspris Adans., Fam. Pl. 2: 496 (1763).
Fiorinia Parl., Fl. Ital. 1: 232 (1850).
Caryophyllea Opiz, Seznam: 27 (1852).
Fussia Schur, Enum. Pl. Transsilv.: 754 (1866).
Salmasia × null Bubani, Fl. Pyren. 4: 315 (1901), nom. superfl.

References

Linneaus, C. von (1753) Species Plantarum 1: 63.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2013. Aira in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2013 Oct. 27. Reference page.
Simon, B.K., Clayton, W.D., Harman, K.T., Vorontsova, M., Brake, I., Healy, D. & Alfonso, Y. 2013. GrassWorld, Aira. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2013 Oct. 27.
Tropicos.org 2013. Aira. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2013 Oct. 27.
International Plant Names Index. 2013. Aira. Published online. Accessed: 27 Oct. 2013.
GBIF.

Vernacular names
suomi: Kääpiölauhat
русский: Айра

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]

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

List of Poaceae genera

References

lectotype designated by Hitchcock, International Bot. Congr. Cambridge (England), 1930. Nomenclature. Proposals by British Botanists 114–155 (1929)
Tropicos, Aira L.
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.
Linnaeus, Carl von. 1753. Species Plantarum 1: 63-66 in Latin
Altervista Flora Italiana, genere Aira
Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
The Plant List search for Aira