''Aira caryophyllea'' is a species of

grass Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns an ...

known by the common name silver hairgrass. It's a species of

bunchgrass Tussock grasses or bunch grasses are a group of grass species in the family Poaceae. They usually grow as singular plants in clumps, tufts, hummocks, or bunches, rather than forming a sod or lawn, in meadows, grasslands, and prairies. As perennial ...

that is native to Europe, Africa, and Asia. It has been introduced to other continents, including North America, where it is naturalized and common. ''Aira caryophyllea'' is a light green grass with a silvery sheen on its

spikelets A spikelet, in botany, describes the typical arrangement of the flowers of grasses, sedges and some other Monocots. Each spikelet has one or more florets. The spikelets are further grouped into panicles or spikes. The part of the spikelet that ...

before it dries and becomes straw-colored to white. The spikelets are borne on a spreading

panicle A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...

inflorescence.

References

Plants of the World OnlineUSDA Plants ProfileJepson Manual TreatmentSpecies accountPhoto gallery
Pooideae Flora of Europe Flora of Africa Flora of Asia Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Pooideae-stub