Aira praecox

Common name: 

Early Hair Grass

Family: 

Poaceae

Distribution (from Flora of Victoria):

Wannon, Grampians, Midlands, Victorian Volcanic Plain, Otway Plain, Gippsland Plain, Wilsons Promontory, Snowfields, East Gippsland (CDEJKNPRSTVWXZ) naturalised in WA, NSW, Tas

Map - Australia's Virtual Herbarium

Distribution and ecological preference at Wilsons Promontory (if known):

Sandy soils, weed1

Flower description:

Flowers without petals and surrounded by a scale/bract1

Habit:

Grass to 25 cm high

Distinguishing characteristics (within family/genus):

Leaves of this species are shorter than Aira caryophyllea, which has leaves to 8 cm. Leaves of Aira praecox are to 4 cm long1

Images:
Image of Aira praecox
Image of Aira praecox
Links to more images:

Atlas of Living Australia

Links to description of this species:

AUsGrass

FloraBase

Conservation status:

Not threatened

References:

1 Walsh, N. G. and Entwisle, T. J. “Flora of Victoria”, volumes 2 (1994), 3 (1996) and 4 (1999). Inkata Press, Port Melbourne, Victoria