Deschampsia is a genus of plants in the grass family Poaceae, commonly known as hair grass or tussock grass. The genus is widespread across many countries.Palisot de Beauvois, Ambroise Marie François Joseph. 1812. Essai d'une Nouvelle Agrostographie 91 descriptions in Latin, etymology explained in FrenchPalisot de Beauvois, Ambroise Marie François Joseph. 1812. Essai d'une Nouvelle Agrostographie, plate XVIII (18) figure III (3) line drawing of Deschampsia cespitosa
The genus is named for French physician and naturalist Louis Auguste Deschamps (1765–1842).Jstor Deschamps, Louis Auguste (1765-1842)
Deschampsia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some species of Lepidoptera, including antler moth, the clay, clouded-bordered brindle, common wainscot, dark arches, dusky brocade, shoulder-striped wainscot, smoky wainscot and wall.
Deschampsia sometimes grow in boggy acidic formations, an example of which is the Portlethen Moss, Scotland. Deschampsia antarctica is the world's most southern monocot, and one of only two flowering plants of Antarctica.Smith, Ronald I.L.. 1984 Terrestrial plant biology of the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic. In: Laws, R.M., (ed.) Antarctic Ecology, vol. 1. London, Academic Press, 61-162.
Some species, such as D. cespitosa, are grown as ornamental garden plants.
Species , Plants of the World Online accepted the following species: Deschampsia airiformis (Steud.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex B.D.Jacks. – Chile, Argentina Deschampsia ampliflora (Tovar) Romasch., P.M.Peterson, Soreng & Barberá Deschampsia amurensis Prob. Deschampsia angusta Stapf & C.E.Hubb. – Zaire, Kenya, Uganda Deschampsia antarctica E.Desv. – Chile, Argentina, Antarctica, Falkland Islands, South Georgia, Crozet Islands, Heard-McDonald Islands, Kerguelen Islands, South Sandwich Islands Deschampsia argentea Lowe – Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands Deschampsia aurea (Munro ex Wedd.) Saarela Deschampsia baicalensis Tzvelev – Irkutsk Deschampsia barkalovii Prob. & Tzvelev Deschampsia berteroniana (Kunth) F.Meigen – Chile, Argentina Deschampsia bolanderi (Thurb.) Saarela, syn. Scribneria bolanderi Deschampsia boyacensis (Swallen & García-Barr.) Romasch., P.M.Peterson, Soreng & Barberá Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) P.Beauv. (including Deschampsia bottnica (Wahlenb.) Trin.) – Kvarken Archipelago (part of Finland) Deschampsia chapmanii Petrie – New Zealand incl Antipodes, Macquarie Islands Deschampsia christophersenii C.E.Hubb. – Tristan da Cunha Deschampsia chrysantha (J.Presl) Saarela Deschampsia chrysostachya (É.Desv.) Romasch., P.M.Peterson, Soreng & Barberá Deschampsia cordillerarum Hauman – Chile, Argentina Deschampsia danthonioides (Trin.) Munro – Annual hairgrass – Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia, western USA, Mexico Deschampsia deminutospicatae Charit. Deschampsia domingensis Hitchc. & Ekman Deschampsia elongata (Hook.) Munro – Chile, Argentina, United States including Alaska, Canada, Mexico Deschampsia eminens (J.Presl) Saarela Deschampsia gallaecica (Cervi & Romo) Cires, Cuesta, Nava, García-Suárez, Fern.-Carv. & Fern.Priet Deschampsia gayana (Steud.) Romasch., P.M.Peterson, Soreng & Barberá Deschampsia gracillima Kirk New Zealand including Antipodes, Tasmania Deschampsia gulariantzii Prob. & Tzvelev Deschampsia hackelii (Lillo ex Stuck.) Saarela Deschampsia hultenii Prob., Tzvelev & Chiapella Deschampsia ircutica Tzvelev & Prob. Deschampsia kingii (Hook.f.) É.Desv. – Chile, Argentina Deschampsia klossii Ridl. – Lesser Sunda Islands, New Guinea Deschampsia koelerioides Regel – Siberia, Central Asia, China, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Pakistan Deschampsia komandorensis Prob. Deschampsia laguriensis Prob. & Tzvelev Deschampsia laxa Phil. – Chile, Argentina Deschampsia leskovii Tzvelev – northern European Russia Deschampsia liebmanniana (E.Fourn.) Hitchc. – Mexico Deschampsia looseriana Parodi – Chile Deschampsia magadanica Tzvelev & Prob. Deschampsia media (Gouan) Roem. & Schult. – central and southern Europe, Morocco, Caucasus Deschampsia mejlandii C.E.Hubb. – Tristan da Cunha Deschampsia mendocina Parodi – Argentina Deschampsia mildbraedii Pilg. – Cameroon Deschampsia nubigena Hillebr. – Hawaii Deschampsia ovata (J.Presl) Saarela Deschampsia parvula (Hook.f.) É.Desv. – Chile, Argentina, Falkland Islands, Anvers Island Deschampsia patula (Phil.) Skottsb. – Chile, Argentina Deschampsia podophora (Pilg.) Saarela Deschampsia pseudokoelerioides Prob. & Tzvelev Deschampsia pusilla Petrie – New Zealand South Island Deschampsia robusta C.E.Hubb. – Tristan da Cunha Deschampsia sajanensis Prob. & Tzvelev Deschampsia santamartensis Sylvester & Soreng Deschampsia seledetzii Tzvelev & Prob. Deschampsia setacea (Huds.) Hack. – northern and western Europe Deschampsia shiretokoensis Tzvelev & Prob. Deschampsia shumshuensis Prob. & Tzvelev Deschampsia sichotensis Prob., Tzvelev & Chiapella Deschampsia susumanica Prob. & Chiapella Deschampsia tenella Petrie – New Zealand Deschampsia teretifolia (Laegaard) Romasch., P.M.Peterson, Soreng & Barberá Deschampsia venustula Parodi – Chile, Argentina Deschampsia wacei C.E.Hubb. – Tristan da Cunha
Formerly included Deschampsia formerly included many species now placed in other genera, such as Aira, Antinoria, Bromus, Calamagrostis, Centropodia, Colpodium, Dissanthelium, Holcus, Periballia, Peyritschia, Poa, Trisetum and Vahlodea. Deschampsia flexuosa (L.) Trin, syn. of Avenella flexuosa (L.) Drejer – Eurasia, alpine areas in Africa; northern North America, southern South America, Falkland Islands
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