''Aira'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

of Old World plants in the grass family, native to western and southern

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

, central and southwest

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

, plus

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

. The common name, shared with the similar related genera ''

Deschampsia ''Deschampsia'' is a genus of plants in the grass family, commonly known as hair grass or tussock grass. The genus is widespread across many countries.

'' and ''

Koeleria ''Koeleria'' is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family, found on all continents except Antarctica and on various oceanic islands. It includes species known generally as Junegrasses. The genus was named after German botanist ...

'', 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 plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...

s for their very delicate airy

seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...

heads, used in dried flower arrangements. ; SpeciesKew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref>The Plant List search for ''Aira''
/ref> ; formerly included Many species now considered better suited to other genera: '' Agrostis,

Antinoria ''Antinoria'' is a genus of Mediterranean plants in the grass family. ; Species * '' Antinoria agrostidea'' (DC.) Parl. - Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia * '' Antinoria insularis'' Parl. - Spain, Portugal, France ...

Arundinella ''Arundinella'' is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family, common in many tropical and subtropical regions.Phipps, J. B. 1967. Studies in the Arundinelleae (Gramineae). V. The series of the genus ''Arundinella''. Canadian Journal of Bot ...

Arundo ''Arundo'' is a genus of stout, perennial plants in the grass family. Description ''Arundo'' is native to southern Europe, North Africa, and much of temperate Asia as far east as Japan. They grow to 3–6 m tall, occasionally to 10 m, ...

Catabrosa ''Catabrosa'' is a small but widespread genus of plants in the grass family native to temperate areas of Eurasia, the Americas, and a few places in Africa. ''Catabrosa aquatica'' is in flower in Europe from June to August, and the seeds ripen f ...

Colpodium ''Colpodium'' is a genus of plants in the grass family, native primarily to Asia but with a few species on certain mountains in Africa. ; SpeciesMill, R. R. 1985. ''Eremopoa, Nephelochloa, Catabrosella, Colpodium, Hyalopoa, Catabrosa, Paracolpo ...

Corynephorus ''Corynephorus'' is a genus of European, North African, and Middle Eastern plants in the grass family.Cyrtococcum ''Cyrtococcum'' is a genus of Asian, African, and Pacific Island plants in the grass family. ; Species * '' Cyrtococcum bosseri'' A.Camus - Madagascar * '' Cyrtococcum capitis-york'' B.K.Simon - Queensland * '' Cyrtococcum chaetophoron'' (Roe ...

Deschampsia ''Deschampsia'' is a genus of plants in the grass family, commonly known as hair grass or tussock grass. The genus is widespread across many countries.

Ehrharta ''Ehrharta'' is a genus of plants in the grass family.Thunberg, Carl Peter. 1779. Kongliga Vetenskaps Academiens Handlingar 40: 217, pl. 8 Most of the species are native to Africa, with a few from Southeast Asia and from various islands in the A ...

Eragrostis ''Eragrostis'' is a large and widespread genus of plants in the grass family, found in many countries on all inhabited continents and many islands. ''Eragrostis'' is commonly known as lovegrass or canegrass. The name of the genus is derived fr ...

, Eremopoa,

Eriachne ''Eriachne'' (common name Wanderrie grass) is a genus of plants in the grass family. Most of the species are found only in Australia, with the ranges of a few extending northward into New Guinea, parts of Asia, and Micronesia. It is found in ar ...

, Eustachys,

Hierochloe ''Hierochloe'' is a genus of plants in the grass family known generally as sweetgrass. These are perennial rhizomatous grasses found primarily in temperate and subarctic regions of Eurasia and North America, although some species extend southward ...

Molinia ''Molinia'', or moor grass, is a genus of two species of flowering plants in the grass family, native to damp moorland in Eurasia and northern Africa. They are both herbaceous perennial grasses. The genus is named after Juan Ignacio Molina, ...

, Pentameris,

Peyritschia ''Peyritschia'' is a genus of Latin American plants in the grass family. ; Species * '' Peyritschia conferta'' (Pilg.) Finot - Venezuela, Ecuador * '' Peyritschia deyeuxioides'' (Kunth) Finot - Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuad ...

, Poa,

Puccinellia ''Puccinellia'' is a genus of plants in the grass family, known as alkali grass or salt grass. These grasses grow in wet environments, often in saline or alkaline conditions. They are native to temperate to Arctic regions of the Northern and S ...

, Rostraria,

Scolochloa ''Scolochloa'' is a genus of grasses in the family Poaceae / Gramineae, now containing a single species, ''Scolochloa festucacea''. Common rivergrass is a common name for the species. ''Scolochloa festucacea'' grows in Europe, temperate Asia, an ...

Sesleria ''Sesleria'' is a genus of perennial plants in the grass family. The are native to Eurasia and North Africa. They are found in Albania, Austria, Baleares, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Corsica, Czechoslovakia, East Aegean Islands, Fi ...

, Sphenopholis,

Sporobolus ''Sporobolus'' is a nearly cosmopolitan genus of plants in the grass family. The name ''Sporobolus'' means "seed-thrower", and is derived from Ancient Greek word (), meaning "seed", and the root of () "to throw", referring to the dispersion of ...

, Tricholaena, Trisetum'' etc. Aira inflorescence

References

Pooideae Poaceae genera {{Pooideae-stub

See also

References