vs Common Silver Hairgrass

Comatricha elegans compared with Aira caryophyllea

Key Differences

is Not Evaluated while Common Silver Hairgrass is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Common Silver Hairgrass
Kingdom	Protozoa (protozoa)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Mycetozoa	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Myxomycetes (Myxomycetes)	Liliopsida (Monocots)
Order	Stemonitidales	Poales (Grasses)
Family	Stemonitidaceae	Poaceae (Grass Family)
Genus	Comatricha	Aira
Species	Comatricha elegans	Aira caryophyllea

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

Common Silver Hairgrass

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		Common Silver Hairgrass
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Asia and Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (Belgium, Norway, Sweden), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil).

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.

Comatricha elegans is a delicate myxomycete forming slender, stalked, cylindrical sporangia with an intricate internal network of threads (capillitium) that aid spore dispersal. It grows on decaying wood and bark in humid forest environments worldwide. This species belongs to a group of slime moulds notable for their elegant fruiting body architecture and cosmopolitan distribution.

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.