Common Silver Hairgrass vs abigarrada de la ortiga

Aira caryophyllea compared with Aglais urticae

Key Differences

• Common Silver Hairgrass is Endangered while abigarrada de la ortiga is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Silver Hairgrass	abigarrada de la ortiga
Kingdom	Plantae (planta)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Arthropoda (artrópodos)
Class	Liliopsida (Monocots)	Insecta (insecto)
Order	Poales (Grasses)	Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths)
Family	Poaceae (Grass Family)	Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Genus	Aira	Aglais
Species	Aira caryophyllea	Aglais urticae

Conservation Status

Common Silver Hairgrass

EN — Endangered

abigarrada de la ortiga

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Silver Hairgrass	abigarrada de la ortiga
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.

abigarrada de la ortiga

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (41 countries). Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.

abigarrada de la ortiga

La mariposa ortiguera pequena (Aglais urticae) esta clasificada como Casi Amenazada (NT) en la Lista Roja de la UICN. Esta cerca de calificar como amenazada, con poblaciones que podrian volverse vulnerables sin medidas de conservacion.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 6 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇱🇻 Latvia 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden