Early Hair Grass
Aira praecox L.
Aira praecox is a tuft-forming annual grass species native to Europe and introduced to North America. It is commonly known as early hair-grass and is found in dry, sandy, or rocky habitats such as heath grasslands, beaches, and roadsides. The plant grows to a height of 10–15 cm, with narrow leaves at the base of the stem and small, tightly clustered inflorescences of bisexual spikelets with a purple tinge.
Description
Aira praecox, a member of the Poaceae family, is distributed across Europe, including the Açores, Madeira, and various Atlantic islands, as well as in parts of North America. It is an annual grass that thrives in dry, sandy, or rocky environments. The plant features thin, narrow leaves (0.3–2 mm wide) and compact inflorescences. It was first described by Linnaeus in 1753. Its native range includes regions in Europe, while it has been introduced to coastal areas of North America.
Other common names
Early Hair GrassEarly Hair-GrassEarly HairgrassEarly Silver HairgrassLittle HairgrassSmall Hair-GrassSmall HairgrassSpike HairgrassYellow Hairgrass
Distribution
British Columbia · Nova Scotia · Açores · Madeira · Portugal Continental · Corvo Island · Faial Island · Flores Island · Pico Island · Santa Maria Island · São Jorge Island · São Miguel Island · Terceira Island · Madeira Island · ZA · CL · Juan Fernandez Islands · French Southern and Antarctic Lands Terres australes et antarctiques françaises (TAAF) · Flanders · SE · AU · FK · Archipielago Juan Fernández · NO · DK · Valparaíso Region |Los Lagos Region |Aysén Region |Region of Magallanes and Antártica Chilena · CA · conterminous 48 United States · Belgium · Brussels-Capital Region
Synonyms
Agrostis praecoxAira gmeliniiAira pusillaAira subspicataAirella praecoxAiropsis praecoxAspris praecoxAvena loefflingianaAvena nanaAvena praecoxAvena pusillaCaryophyllea praecoxFussia praecoxSalmasia praecoxTrisetum praecoxAira canescens var. praecoxAvena caryophyllea unranked praecox
