Angular water-starwort vs Common Silver Hairgrass

Callitriche cribrosa compared with Aira caryophyllea

Key Differences

• Angular water-starwort is Near Threatened while Common Silver Hairgrass is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Angular water-starwort	Common Silver Hairgrass
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Liliopsida (Monocots)
Order	Lamiales (Lamiales)	Poales (Grasses)
Family	Plantaginaceae	Poaceae (Grass Family)
Genus	Callitriche	Aira
Species	Callitriche cribrosa	Aira caryophyllea

Evolutionary Relationship

Angular water-starwort and Common Silver Hairgrass share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Magnoliophyta. (Flowering Plants)

Conservation Status

Angular water-starwort

NT — Near Threatened

Common Silver Hairgrass

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Angular water-starwort	Common Silver Hairgrass
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Angular water-starwort

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Found in Portugal. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Common Silver Hairgrass

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Cameroon), Asia (Japan, South Korea), Europe (6 countries), North America (4 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (4 countries). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Angular water-starwort

The Angular water-starwort (Callitriche cribrosa) is a species in the genus Callitriche. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Common Silver Hairgrass

<em>Aira caryophyllea</em>, commonly known as Common Silver Hairgrass, is a slender annual grass belonging to the family Poaceae within the order Poales. This delicate grass is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, reflecting significant conservation concern despite its historically broad distribution. It is typically found across a remarkable diversity of biome types, including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, grasslands, savannas, and flooded habitats, demonstrating notable ecological versatility. Its geographic range spans multiple continents, with documented populations in Africa (Cameroon), Asia (Japan, South Korea), Europe, North America, Australia, and South America. As an annual grass, it completes its life cycle within a single growing season, reproducing via wind-dispersed seeds. The inflorescence typically bears silvery, shimmering spikelets that give the species its common name. Biological traits such as average lifespan, body dimensions, and dietary specifics follow typical patterns for annual grasses — drawing nutrients from soil through root absorption rather than consuming other organisms. The endangered status suggests populations may be declining due to habitat loss, land-use change, or invasive species pressure across parts of its range.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇵🇹 Portugal