Taxon: Aira caryophyllea L.

Summary

Genus:

Aira

Family:

Poaceae (alt. Gramineae)

Subfamily:

Pooideae

Tribe:

Poeae

Subtribe:

Airinae

Nomen number:

2086

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 1:66. 1753

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

05/05/1992 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

0 (0 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System.

Other conspecific taxa

Aira caryophyllea L. subsp. caryophyllea (1 active accession[s])
Aira caryophyllea L. subsp. multiculmis (Dumort.) Bonnier & Layens (0 active accession[s])

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
Baldwin, B. G. et al., eds. The Jepson manual: vascular plants of California (on-line resource).
Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 34.
Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
Demilly, D. et al. 1996. Liste alphabétique des principales espèces de plantes cultivées et de mauvaises herbes. Noms latins et noms français, ed. 6. Note: GEVES-SNES, Beaucouzé, France
Erhardt, W. et al. 2000. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 16. Auflage
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: = Aira cupaniana
Gibbs-Russell, G. E. et al. 1990. Grasses of southern Africa. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa vol. 58 Note: mentions
Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
Hansen, A. & P. Sunding. 1993. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 4. Sommerfeltia vol. 17.
Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
Howell, C. J. & J. W. D. Sawyer. 2006. New Zealand naturalised vascular plant checklist
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Jahandiez, E. & R. Maire. 1931-1941. Catalogue des plantes du Maroc.
Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
McClay, A. et al. 2010. Evaluation of the Australian weed risk assessment system for the prediction of plant invasiveness in Canada. Biol. Invas. 12:4085-4098. Note: this study commented on the hardiness of Aira caryophyllea that restricts its wider distribution as a weed in Canada
Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
Sell, P. & G. Murrell. 1996-. Flora of Great Britain and Ireland.
Silva, L. et al. 2005. Listagem da fauna e flora terrestres dos Açores. Lista des plantas vasculares (Pteridophyta e Spermatophyta).
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Tzvelev, N. N. 1976. Zlaki SSSR
Ugarte, E. et al. 2011. Vascular alien flora, Chile. Check List 7:365-382.
Villaseñor, J. L. & F. J. Espinoza-Garcia. 2004. The alien flowering plants of Mexico. Diversity & Distrib. 10:113-123.
Wagner, W. L. et al. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands (on-line resource).
Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Zon, A. P. M. van der. 1992. Graminées du Cameroun

Common names

Language	Name	note	seq	Citation
English	silver hair grass		1	Sell, P. & G. Murrell. 1996-. Flora of Great Britain and Ireland.
English	silvery hair grass		1	Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
English (Canada)	silver hair grass	Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada official name	2	Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 34.
French	aira caryophyllée		2	Demilly, D. et al. 1996. Liste alphabétique des principales espèces de plantes cultivées et de mauvaises herbes. Noms latins et noms français, ed. 6. Note: GEVES-SNES, Beaucouzé, France
French	canche caryophyllée		2	Demilly, D. et al. 1996. Liste alphabétique des principales espèces de plantes cultivées et de mauvaises herbes. Noms latins et noms français, ed. 6. Note: GEVES-SNES, Beaucouzé, France
French (Canada)	canche caryophyllée	Agriculture & Agroalimentaire Canada nom officiel	2	Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 34.
German	Nelken-Haferschmiele		2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2000. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 16. Auflage
Swedish	vittåtel		2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Kenya			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Tanzania			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Uganda			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Macaronesia	Portugal	Madeira Islands		Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Macaronesia	Spain	Canarias		Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Ethiopia			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Algeria			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Morocco			Jahandiez, E. & R. Maire. 1931-1941. Catalogue des plantes du Maroc.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Tunisia			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Malawi			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Nigeria			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Cameroon			Zon, A. P. M. van der. 1992. Graminées du Cameroun
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia	Ciscaucasia		Tzvelev, N. N. 1976. Zlaki SSSR
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Cyprus			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Turkey			Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Belarus			Tzvelev, N. N. 1976. Zlaki SSSR
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Lithuania			Tzvelev, N. N. 1976. Zlaki SSSR
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Ukraine		incl. Krym	Tzvelev, N. N. 1976. Zlaki SSSR
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Austria			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Belgium			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Czech Republic			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Germany			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Hungary			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Netherlands			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Poland			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Slovakia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Switzerland			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Denmark			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Ireland			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Sweden		doubtfully native	Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	United Kingdom			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Albania			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Bulgaria			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Croatia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Italy		incl. Sardinia, Sicily	Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Montenegro			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Romania			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Serbia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Slovenia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	France		incl. Corsica	Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Portugal			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Spain			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
4	Naturalized	Africa	Southern Africa	Lesotho		natzd.?	Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: = Aira cupaniana
4	Naturalized	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Eastern Cape	natzd.?	Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: = Aira cupaniana
4	Naturalized	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Free State	natzd.?	Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: = Aira cupaniana
4	Naturalized	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	KwaZulu-Natal	natzd.?	Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: = Aira cupaniana
4	Naturalized	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Northern Cape	natzd.?	Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: = Aira cupaniana
4	Naturalized	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Western Cape	natzd.?	Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: = Aira cupaniana
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia			Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	New Zealand	New Zealand			Howell, C. J. & J. W. D. Sawyer. 2006. New Zealand naturalised vascular plant checklist
4	Naturalized	Northern America		Canada			McClay, A. et al. 2010. Evaluation of the Australian weed risk assessment system for the prediction of plant invasiveness in Canada. Biol. Invas. 12:4085-4098. Note: this study commented on the hardiness of Aira caryophyllea that restricts its wider distribution as a weed in Canada
4	Naturalized	Northern America		Mexico			Villaseñor, J. L. & F. J. Espinoza-Garcia. 2004. The alien flowering plants of Mexico. Diversity & Distrib. 10:113-123.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Oregon		Baldwin, B. G. et al., eds. The Jepson manual: vascular plants of California (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Washington		Baldwin, B. G. et al., eds. The Jepson manual: vascular plants of California (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Alabama		Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Georgia		Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Mississippi		Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	South Carolina		Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Virginia		Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	California		Baldwin, B. G. et al., eds. The Jepson manual: vascular plants of California (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Pacific	North-Central Pacific	United States	Hawaii		Wagner, W. L. et al. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina			Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Chile			Ugarte, E. et al. 2011. Vascular alien flora, Chile. Check List 7:365-382.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Uruguay			Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador			Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
5	Uncertain	Africa	Macaronesia	Portugal	Azores		Silva, L. et al. 2005. Listagem da fauna e flora terrestres dos Açores. Lista des plantas vasculares (Pteridophyta e Spermatophyta).

Native
Africa

MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias], Portugal [Madeira Islands]
NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia
NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ethiopia
EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Cameroon
WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Nigeria
SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Malawi

Asia-Temperate

WESTERN ASIA: Cyprus, Turkey
CAUCASUS: Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia [Ciscaucasia]

Europe

NORTHERN EUROPE: Denmark, United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden (doubtfully native)
MIDDLE EUROPE: Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia
EASTERN EUROPE: Belarus, Lithuania, Ukraine (incl. Krym)
SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia
SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain, France (incl. Corsica), Portugal

Naturalized
Africa

SOUTHERN AFRICA: Lesotho (natzd.?), South Africa [Eastern Cape (natzd.?), Free State (natzd.?), KwaZulu-Natal (natzd.?), Northern Cape (natzd.?), Western Cape (natzd.?)]

Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia
NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand

Northern America

NORTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [Oregon, Washington]
SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Virginia]
SOUTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [California]
REGION: Canada, Mexico

Pacific

NORTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: United States [Hawaii]

Southern America

WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Ecuador
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina, Chile, Uruguay

Uncertain
Africa

MACARONESIA: Portugal [Azores]

Reference(s)

Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
Baldwin, B. G. et al., eds. The Jepson manual: vascular plants of California (on-line resource).
Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa. Note: = Aira cupaniana
Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
Howell, C. J. & J. W. D. Sawyer. 2006. New Zealand naturalised vascular plant checklist
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Jahandiez, E. & R. Maire. 1931-1941. Catalogue des plantes du Maroc.
Jørgensen, P. M. & S. León-Yánez, eds. 1999. Catalogue of the vascular plants of Ecuador. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 75
Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
McClay, A. et al. 2010. Evaluation of the Australian weed risk assessment system for the prediction of plant invasiveness in Canada. Biol. Invas. 12:4085-4098. Note: this study commented on the hardiness of Aira caryophyllea that restricts its wider distribution as a weed in Canada
Radford, A. E. et al. 1964. Manual of the vascular flora of the Carolinas.
Silva, L. et al. 2005. Listagem da fauna e flora terrestres dos Açores. Lista des plantas vasculares (Pteridophyta e Spermatophyta).
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Tzvelev, N. N. 1976. Zlaki SSSR
Ugarte, E. et al. 2011. Vascular alien flora, Chile. Check List 7:365-382.
Villaseñor, J. L. & F. J. Espinoza-Garcia. 2004. The alien flowering plants of Mexico. Diversity & Distrib. 10:113-123.
Wagner, W. L. et al. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands (on-line resource).
Zon, A. P. M. van der. 1992. Graminées du Cameroun

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Animal food	forage		Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
Animal food	forage		Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=2086. Accessed 12 May 2026.