Aira caryophyllea var. caryophyllea

Common names: Silver hairgrass
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 24. Treatment on page 616.

Pedicels 0.9-7 mm, usually 1-2 times as long as the spikelets, gradually thickening to the apices. Spikelets 2-3.3 (3.5) mm, usually appressed to the secondary branches, silvery-green to stramineous; rachillas not prolonged. Glumes 2-3.3 (3.5) mm, subequal, 1-veined or the upper glumes with 2 lateral-veins, these sometimes obscure and usually less than 1/2 the length of the glumes, acute; lower lemmas 2-2.4 mm, apices bifid, teeth 0.2-0.4 mm, awned, awns 2.4-3.5 mm, geniculate; lower paleas 1.5-1.7 mm; upper lemmas 2-2.6 mm, apices bifid, teeth 0.2-0.3 mm, awned, awns 2.5-3.9 mm; upper paleas 1.4-1.7 mm; anthers 0.2-0.5 mm, yellow to orange. Caryopses 1.4-1.5 mm long, 0.4-0.5 mm wide, glabrous.

Distribution

Wash., Del., D.C., Conn., Mass., N.Y., Pacific Islands (Hawaii), Fla., Wyo., N.H., N.J., Tex., La., B.C., N.S., Yukon, Tenn., N.C., S.C., Pa., Calif., Va., Alaska, Ala., Miss., Ark., Vt., Ill., Ga., Ind., Okla., Idaho, Md., Ohio, Mo., Oreg.

Discussion

Aira caryophyllea var. caryophyllea is native to the Mediterranean region. It usually grows in dry, sandy to rocky soil and on rock outcrops, in open and disturbed sites in woods, grassy flats, pastures, paths, and roadsides; it is occasionally found in damp ground at swamp or lagoon margins.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"decumbent" is not a number."-2timesaslongasthespikelets" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property."acute" is not a number.

lacerate +, acute +  and subobtuse +
membranous +  and scarious +
yellow +  and orange +
0.02 cm0.2 mm <br />2.0e-4 m <br /> (0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 m <br />) +
prow-tipped +
J.K. Wipff +
1 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
straight +
attached +
basal +  and terminal +
geniculate +
0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> (0.39 cm3.9 mm <br />0.0039 m <br />) +
keeled +  and rounded +
pseudopetiolate +  and branching +
intravaginal +, extravaginal +, branching +  and basal +
swelling +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (13.5 cm135 mm <br />0.135 m <br />) +
not evident +
scabridulous +
cross +, linear +  and narrowly lanceolate +
0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br /> (0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br />) +
capillary +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (?) +
0.02 cm0.2 mm <br />2.0e-4 m <br /> (0.04 cm0.4 mm <br />4.0e-4 m <br />) +
Silver hairgrass +
not branching +
4.5 cm45 mm <br />0.045 m <br /> (55 cm550 mm <br />0.55 m <br />) +
not woody +
Wash. +, Del. +, D.C. +, Conn. +, Mass. +, N.Y. +, Pacific Islands (Hawaii) +, Fla. +, Wyo. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, Tex. +, La. +, B.C. +, N.S. +, Yukon +, Tenn. +, N.C. +, S.C. +, Pa. +, Calif. +, Va. +, Alaska +, Ala. +, Miss. +, Ark. +, Vt. +, Ill. +, Ga. +, Ind. +, Okla. +, Idaho +, Md. +, Ohio +, Mo. +  and Oreg. +
1/4 +  and 1/3 +
liquid +, soft +  and hard +
capillary +
pistillate +  and staminate +
sometimes longer +
compressed +
extended +
subtending +
scabridulous +
subequal +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.33 cm3.3 mm <br />0.0033 m <br />) +
membranous +
uncinate +
scabridulous +
lanceolate +  and ovate +
0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br /> (0.26 cm2.6 mm <br />0.0026 m <br />) +
subcoriaceous +
0.12 cm1.2 mm <br />0.0012 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
membranous +
inconspicuous +
lanceolate +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.24 cm2.4 mm <br />0.0024 m <br />) +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.17 cm1.7 mm <br />0.0017 m <br />) +
concealed +  and prominent +
2 +  and 1 +
well-developed +
2-keeled +
0.09 cm0.9 mm <br />9.0e-4 m <br /> (0.17 cm1.7 mm <br />0.0017 m <br />) +
membranous +
1.2cm +  and 13.5cm +
spikelike +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
capillary +
0.09 cm0.9 mm <br />9.0e-4 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
thickening +
dry +  and fleshy +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (7.3 cm73 mm <br />0.073 m <br />) +
not prolonged +
scabridulous +
Introduced +
silvery-green +  and stramineous +
1 +  and 60 +
compressed +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.33 cm3.3 mm <br />0.0033 m <br />) +
1 +  and 3 +
simple +  and compound +
2 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
Gramineae +
Aira caryophyllea var. caryophyllea +
Aira caryophyllea +
variety +
membranous +
0.02 cm0.2 mm <br />2.0e-4 m <br /> (0.03 cm0.3 mm <br />3.0e-4 m <br />) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.26 cm2.6 mm <br />0.0026 m <br />) +
0.14 cm1.4 mm <br />0.0014 m <br /> (0.17 cm1.7 mm <br />0.0017 m <br />) +
parallel +  and converging +
stoloniferous +  and rhizomatous +
aquatic +  and terrestrial +