Common Silver Hairgrass vs

Aira caryophyllea compared with Euglena gasterosteus

Key Differences

Common Silver Hairgrass is Endangered while is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Silver Hairgrass
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Protozoa (protozoa)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Euglenozoa (Euglenozoa)
Class	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Euglenoidea (Euglenoidea)
Order	Poales (Grasses)	Euglenida (Euglenida)
Family	Poaceae (Grass Family)	Euglenaceae
Genus	Aira	Euglena
Species	Aira caryophyllea	Euglena gasterosteus

Conservation Status

Common Silver Hairgrass

EN — Endangered

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

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.

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Sweden and Taiwan.

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.

Euglena gasterosteus is a freshwater euglenoid alga with a spindle-shaped, flexible cell body and chloroplasts enabling photosynthesis in well-lit aquatic environments. It inhabits ponds, ditches, and slow-moving freshwaters rich in organic matter. Like all euglenas, it can switch between autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition and uses a flagellum for movement in the water column.