Home/Species/ Wavy Hairgrass

Avenella flexuosa

(L.) Drej.

Wavy Hairgrass

G5Secure Found in 6 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →

G5SecureGlobal Rank

LowThreat Impact

Identity

Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.158638

Element CodePMPOA22090

Record TypeSPECIES

ClassificationSpecies

Classification StatusStandard

Name CategoryVascular Plant

Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

KingdomPlantae

PhylumAnthophyta

ClassMonocotyledoneae

OrderCyperales

FamilyPoaceae

GenusAvenella

Synonyms

Deschampsia flexuosa(L.) Trin.

Other Common Names

Deschampsie flexueuse (FR) wavy hairgrass (EN)

Concept Reference

Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.

Taxonomic Comments

Flora of North America Editorial Committee (2007) does not distinguish infrataxa in Deschampsia flexuosa.

Conservation Status

Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2

Review Date2024-07-15

Change Date1984-04-24

Edition Date2024-07-15

Edition AuthorsEberly (2024)

Threat ImpactLow

Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)

Number of Occurrences> 300

Rank Reasons

Avenella flexuosa is a perennial grass with a large range extent, hundreds of occurrences, and abundant habitat. This species is considered secure across its native range but is also exotic and introduced in various areas including the western USA and Canada.

Range Extent Comments

Avenella flexuosa is a cosmopolitan species found on most continents but its native range is largely attributed to the northern hemisphere. In North America, is primarily found in the eastern United States and Canada. There is some speculation that populations west of the Great Lakes and Appalachians are introductions (FNA 2007a). Range extent was estimated using herbarium specimens and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024 (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).

Occurrences Comments

By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium records and photo-based observations documented between 1993 and 2024, there are over 300 occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2024, iNaturalist 2024, SEINet 2024).

Threat Impact Comments

This species is tolerant of disturbance and occurs at higher elevations, including ridgelines and summits where threats are minimal.

Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This species grows at mid to high elevations in dry rocky or sandy woods, thickets, grassy balds, and disturbed sites (FNA 2007a, Weakley and Southeastern Flora Team 2024).

Terrestrial Habitats

Forest/WoodlandForest EdgeShrubland/chaparralGrassland/herbaceousBare rock/talus/scree

Other Nations (2)

United StatesN5

Province	Rank	Native
Virginia	S5	Yes
Vermont	S5	Yes
North Carolina	S3	Yes
Connecticut	SNR	Yes
Tennessee	SNR	Yes
Minnesota	S2	Yes
Alaska	SNA	No
Maryland	SNR	Yes
Oklahoma	S2	Yes
Arkansas	S2	Yes
Kentucky	S2	Yes
Wisconsin	S4	Yes
Georgia	S3	Yes
Michigan	SNR	Yes
Rhode Island	SNR	Yes
Pennsylvania	SNR	Yes
South Carolina	S1	Yes
West Virginia	S4	Yes
Massachusetts	SNR	Yes
New Jersey	SNR	Yes
Delaware	S4	Yes
Ohio	S2	Yes
Colorado	SNA	No
District of Columbia	SNR	Yes
Illinois	S1	Yes
New Hampshire	SNR	Yes
Maine	SNR	Yes
New York	S5	Yes
Alabama	SNR	Yes

CanadaN5

Province	Rank	Native
New Brunswick	S5	Yes
Ontario	S5	Yes
Quebec	S5	Yes
Prince Edward Island	S4	Yes
Nunavut	S3	Yes
Nova Scotia	S5	Yes
Island of Newfoundland	S5	Yes
Labrador	S5	Yes
British Columbia	SNA	No

Threat Assessments

Threat	Scope	Severity	Timing
No known threats	—	—	—

Plant Characteristics

DurationPERENNIAL

Economic Value (Genus)No

Roadless Areas (6)

Georgia (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Helton Creek	Chattahoochee National Forest	2,348

New Hampshire (2)

Area	Forest	Acres
Great Gulf Ext.	White Mountain National Forest	15,110
Presidential - Dry River Ext	White Mountain National Forest	10,555

North Carolina (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Graveyard Ridge (addition)	Pisgah National Forest	1,958

Virginia (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
Jerkemtight	George Washington National Forest	16,687

West Virginia (1)

Area	Forest	Acres
North Mountain Hopeville	Monongahela National Forest	6,525

References (8)

Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2007a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 24. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, part 1. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxviii + 911 pp.
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2024. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2024).
iNaturalist. 2024. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2024).
Judziewicz, E. J., R. J. Soreng, G. Davidse, P. M. Peterson, T. S. Filgueiras, and F. O. Zuloaga. 2000. Catalogue of New World Grasses (Poaceae): I. Subfamilies Anomochlooideae, Bambusoideae, Ehrhartoideae, and Pharoideae. Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 39: 1-128.
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Kartesz, J.T. 1999. A synonymized checklist and atlas with biological attributes for the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. First edition. In: Kartesz, J.T., and C.A. Meacham. Synthesis of the North American Flora, Version 1.0. North Carolina Botanical Garden, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2024. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2024).
Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.

Avenella flexuosa

Habitat

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