Common Ground-Pine vs Common Silver Hairgrass

Dendrolycopodium obscurum compared with Aira caryophyllea

Key Differences

• Common Ground-Pine is Not Evaluated while Common Silver Hairgrass is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Ground-Pine	Common Silver Hairgrass
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Tracheophyta	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Lycopodiopsida (Lycopodiopsida)	Liliopsida (Monocots)
Order	Lycopodiales (Lycopodiales)	Poales (Grasses)
Family	Lycopodiaceae	Poaceae (Grass Family)
Genus	Dendrolycopodium	Aira
Species	Dendrolycopodium obscurum	Aira caryophyllea

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Ground-Pine and Common Silver Hairgrass share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Plantae. (Plants)

Conservation Status

Common Ground-Pine

NE — Not Evaluated

Common Silver Hairgrass

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Ground-Pine	Common Silver Hairgrass
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Ground-Pine

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Canada and United States.

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.

Common Ground-Pine

The common ground pine, <em>Dendrolycopodium obscurum</em>, is a vascular plant belonging to the family Lycopodiaceae, a lineage of ancient clubmosses. This species is typically found across North America, with its known range encompassing Canada and the United States. As a lycophyte, <em>Dendrolycopodium obscurum</em> represents a deeply divergent lineage among land plants, distinct from mosses and ferns. The species typically grows in moist forested habitats, particularly in coniferous and mixed woodlands where humidity and leaf litter provide suitable conditions for its growth. Its upright, tree-like sporophylls give it the common name ground pine. No dietary information has been provided for this species. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

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 2 countries:

🇨🇦 Canada 🇺🇸 United States