Sp. PI. 63 (1753); Gram. Afr. Trop. 1: 183 (1962); Gen. Gram.: 131 (1986).
- Type-species: Aira praecox Linn.
Description:
* Small caespitose annual. Culms herbaceous, unbranched, weak. Leaves linear, setaceous; ligule an acute unfringed membrane.
* Inflorescence an open or contracted panicle. Primary branches distichous, capillary.
* Spikelets small, 2-flowered, compressed laterally, disarticulating above glumes, the florets alike, separated by a very short rhachilla, enclosed by the glumes; callus short, blunt. Glumes equal, 1-3-nerved, thinly membranous and shining. Lemmas 5-nerved, lanceolate, rounded on the back, membranous, bedentate, dorsally awned or awnless; awn geniculate with twisted column. Stamens 3 with anthers of 0.2-1.7 mm long; stigmas 2, white. Caryopsis fusiform, longitudinally grooved. Compressed dorsivertrally.
European and Mediterrean genus with 8 species, one widespread; open places on sandy soils.
Aira, the Greek name for Lolium temulentum.