Family: Poaceae
Author: (L.) Tzvelev
Bibliography: Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 7: 47 (1970 publ. 1971)
Year: 1971
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Rostraria
Vegetable: False
Observations: Macaronesia, Medit. to Sahara and India, Caucasus to C. Asia and W. Himalaya
Description
Mediterranean-hair grass, scientifically known as Rostraria cristata, is a remarkable species belonging to the Poaceae family. This resilient grass has a broad distribution, thriving across various regions including Macaronesia, the Mediterranean basin extending to the Sahara, the Indian subcontinent, the Caucasus, central Asia, and the western Himalayas.
First documented in a comprehensive manner in the 1970 publication “Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast.” by the esteemed botanist Tzvelev, Rostraria cristata has captivated the botanical community with its adaptability and unique characteristics. The comprehensive study highlighted in the publication sheds light on its resilient nature and its ability to thrive in diverse environmental conditions.
The Mediterranean-hair grass is not only well-adapted to endure the arid conditions of the Sahara and the Mediterranean’s mild climate but also withstands the varying altitudes and climatic conditions from the Himalayas to central Asia. This wide adaptability ensures its presence in a range of habitats, contributing to its ecological significance.
The plant is characterized by its fine, hair-like leaves from which it derives its common name. These grass blades are subtly structured to minimize water loss, making it especially suited for survival in harsh, dry environments. Moreover, its aesthetic appeal and structural benefits have made it a popular choice for natural landscaping and ecological restoration projects.
Rostraria cristata’s contribution to its ecosystems is multifaceted. It acts as an important ground cover, reducing soil erosion and maintaining soil health. Additionally, it provides forage for various herbivores and serves as a habitat for a variety of insects, thereby supporting biodiversity.
Through further studies and observation, Mediterranean-hair grass continues to be a subject of interest for botanists and ecologists alike. Its widespread presence across such varied regions underscores its importance not only as a biological specimen but also as a contributor to the ecological resilience of the habitats it occupies.
Common Names
Deu: echtes büschelgras, einjähriges schillergras
Dan: enårig kambunke, enårig rostraria
Eng: mediterranean hair-grass, mediterranean hairgrass, mediterranean-hair grass
Hun: közönséges tarajosperje
Ces: smělka hřebenitá
Nld: klein fakkelgras
Swe: borstäxing
Cym: corfwyaren, cribwellt môr y canoldir, drysien, miaren, mwyaren y cerrig
En: Mediterranean-hair grass, Mediterranean Hair-grass, Mediterranean hairgrass, Crested Rostraria, Mediterranean Oat, Annual June Grass, Annual junegrass
Ca: Rostrària fleoide
Cs: Smělka hřebenitá
Da: Enårig kambunke, Enårig rostraria
Nl: Klein fakkelgras
Fr: Koelérie à crête, Koelérie fausse fléole, Fausse fléole, Rostraria à crête
De: Echtes Büschelgras, Einjähriges Schillergras
He: דגנין מצוי
Hu: Közönséges tarajosperje
It: Paléo cristato
Sv: Borstäxing
Cy: Corfwyaren, Cribwellt Môr y Canoldir, Drysien, Miaren, Mwyaren y Cerrig
Synonyms
- Alopecurus ciliatus (All.)
- Dactylis pungens (Hornem.)
- Bromus alopecuroides (Lag.)
- Aira elongata (Salzm. ex Steud.)
- Bromus poiformis (Forssk.)
- Koeleria hirta (Steud. ex Trin.)
- Koeleria aegyptiaca (Steud.)
- Koeleria phleoides var. robusta (Borbás)
- Rostraria recurviflora ((Braun-Blanq. & Wilczek) Holub)
- Rostraria cristata subsp. subcapitata ((Kuntze) Mosul.)
- Rostraria glabriflora ((Trautv.) Czerep.)
- Koeleria phleoides subvar. abyssinica (Domin)
- Koeleria phleoides var. brachystachys ((DC.) Nyman)
- Koeleria phleoides subvar. parviflora ((Willk.) Domin)
- Lophochloa cristata ((L.) Hyl.)
- Bromus phleoides (J.F.Gmel.)
- Koeleria phleoides f. anomala ((Trab.) Domin)
- Koeleria phleoides var. persica (Domin)
- Lophochloa cristata var. pseudolobulata ((Degen & Domin) Täckh.)
- Poa typhoides (Willk. & Lange)
- Koeleria phleoides f. glabrescens (Domin)
- Koeleria phleoides f. maritima ((H.Lév.) Domin)
- Lophochloa paradoxa (Scheele)
- Koeleria phleoides var. integrata (Merino)
- Koeleria campestris (Phil.)
- Koeleria phleoides subvar. glabriflora ((Trautv.) Domin)
- Koeleria dactyloides (Spreng.)
- Koeleria phleoides (Pers.)
- Koeleria phleoides var. hypathera (Domin)
- Bromus trivialis (Savi)
- Festuca phleoides (Vill.)
- Koeleria phleoides subvar. longistachya (Domin)
- Leptochloa phleoidea (Willk. & Lange)
- Trisetum cristatum ((L.) Potztal)
- Koeleria gerardii ((Vill.) Shinners)
- Trisetum minutiflorum (Phil.)
- Koeleria phleoides subvar. robusta ((Borbás) Domin)
- Festuca gerardii (Vill.)
- Panicum astracanicum (Steud.)
- Koeleria phleoides var. anomala (Trab.)
- Koeleria phleoides var. luxurians (Mutel)
- Koeleria phleoides f. breviaristata (Domin)
- Avena panicea (Roem. & Schult.)
- Dactylis spicata (Brot. ex Spreng.)
- Koeleria phleoides var. pseudolobulata (Degen & Domin)
- Lophochloa phleoides (Rchb.)
- Wilhelmsia caucasica (K.Koch)
- Koeleria phleoides var. pumila (Ledeb.)
- Koeleria feldmannii (Sennen & Mauricio)
- Festuca glaucescens (Roth)
- Bromus cristatus ((L.) Spreng.)
- Koeleria tuberculosa (Lojac.)
- Rostraria cristata var. pubiglumis (Tzvelev)
- Koeleria phleoides f. transiens (Domin)
- Koeleria phleoides var. maritima (H.Lév.)
- Koeleria phleoides var. nitens (Domin)
- Koeleria phleoides f. lobulata (Hausskn.)
- Koeleria phleoides var. macrantha (Domin)
- Koeleria phleoides var. azorensis (Domin)
- Koeleria figarei (De Not.)
- Lophochloa phleoides var. trichantha (Nábelek)
- Lophochloa cristata var. vivipara ((Trautv.) Täckh.)
- Koeleria phleoides var. submutica (Ball)
- Koeleria phleoides var. vivipara (Noulet)
- Koeleria phleoides var. glabriflora (Trautv.)
- Brachypodium phleoides (P.Beauv.)
- Koeleria phleoides f. submutica ((Ball) Domin)
- Rostraria cristata var. glabriflora ((Trautv.) Dogan)
- Koeleria paradoxa ((Scheele) Steud.)
- Koeleria phleoides f. exilis (Domin)
- Koeleria collina (N.Terracc.)
- Koeleria phleoides f. vivipara ((Trautv.) Domin)
- Poa phleoides (Lam.)
- Koeleria phleoides var. subcapitata (Kuntze)
- Bromus dactyloides (Roth)
- Rostraria pubescens (Trin.)
- Rostraria cristata var. subcapitata ((Kuntze) Tzvelev)
- Koeleria phleoides var. recurviflora ((Braun-Blanq. & Wilczek) Litard.)
- Rostraria cristata var. vestita (Véla)
- Trisetaria cristata ((L.) Kerguélen)
- Koeleria laxa (Link)
- Schedonorus gerardii ((Vill.) P.Beauv.)
- Koeleria brachystachya (DC.)
- Ktenosachne tenerrima (Steud.)
- Koeleria phleoides var. major (Ten.)
- Koeleria trapezuntina (K.Koch)
- Koeleria phleoides var. pubiflora (Trautv.)
- Rostraria brachystachya ((DC.) Holub)
- Koeleria phleoides f. foliosa (Domin)
- Koeleria recurviflora (Braun-Blanq. & Wilczek)
- Koeleria phleoides var. parviflora (Willk.)
- Koeleria phleoides f. multiaristata (Rohlena)
- Koeleria phleoides var. polyantha (Domin)
- Koeleria avenacea (P.Beauv.)
- Bromus cultus (Steud.)
- Koeleria phleoides var. fallax (Domin)
- Koeleria phleoides var. brachystachya ((DC.) Asch. & Graebn.)
- Koeleria phleoides subsp. clarkeana (Domin)
- Koeleria trivialis ((Savi) Bubani)
- Trisetaria phleoides (Nevski)
- Rostraria cristata subsp. glabriflora ((Trautv.) Tzvelev)
- Aira phleoides (Steud.)
- Rostraria smyrnacea ((Trin.) H.Scholz)
Distribution
- Afghanistan (native)
- Albania (native)
- Algeria (native)
- Azores (native)
- Baleares (native)
- Bulgaria (native)
- Canary Is. (native)
- Cape Verde (native)
- Corse (native)
- Cyprus (native)
- East Aegean Is. (native)
- Egypt (native)
- Eritrea (native)
- France (native)
- Greece (native)
- Gulf States (native)
- India (native)
- Iran (native)
- Iraq (native)
- Italy (native)
- Kriti (native)
- Krym (native)
- Kuwait (native)
- Lebanon-Syria (native)
- Libya (native)
- Madeira (native)
- Mauritania (native)
- Morocco (native)
- North Caucasus (native)
- Oman (native)
- Pakistan (native)
- Palestine (native)
- Portugal (native)
- Sardegna (native)
- Saudi Arabia (native)
- Sicilia (native)
- Sinai (native)
- Spain (native)
- Sudan (native)
- Tadzhikistan (native)
- Transcaucasus (native)
- Tunisia (native)
- Turkey (native)
- Turkey-in-Europe (native)
- Turkmenistan (native)
- Uzbekistan (native)
- West Himalaya (native)
- Yugoslavia (native)
- Alabama (introduced)
- Argentina Northeast (introduced)
- Argentina Northwest (introduced)
- Arizona (introduced)
- Austria (introduced)
- Baltic States (introduced)
- Bermuda (introduced)
- Brazil South (introduced)
- California (introduced)
- Cape Provinces (introduced)
- Chile Central (introduced)
- Chile North (introduced)
- Chile South (introduced)
- Czechoslovakia (introduced)
- Florida (introduced)
- Japan (introduced)
- Louisiana (introduced)
- Maryland (introduced)
- Mexico Northwest (introduced)
- New South Wales (introduced)
- New York (introduced)
- Norfolk Is. (introduced)
- Oregon (introduced)
- Pennsylvania (introduced)
- Queensland (introduced)
- South Australia (introduced)
- South Carolina (introduced)
- Tasmania (introduced)
- Texas (introduced)
- Uruguay (introduced)
- Victoria (introduced)
- Western Australia (introduced)
Additional Images
Flower
Taken Oct 8, 2021 by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 25, 2010 by Tela Botanica − Mathieu MENAND (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 19, 2013 by Tela Botanica − Paul FABRE (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 9, 2022 by Thanos Chrisovergis (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 12, 2021 by Beytullah AYDIN (cc-by-sa)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Habit
Taken May 10, 2022 by Gianni Del Bufalo (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 8, 2021 by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 24, 2021 by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 31, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Yves PENIT (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 31, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Yves PENIT (cc-by-sa)
Leaf
Taken May 19, 2013 by Tela Botanica − Paul FABRE (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 19, 2013 by Tela Botanica − Paul FABRE (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 19, 2013 by Tela Botanica − Paul FABRE (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 12, 2022 by Laura Gurrea (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 5, 2021 by en pampis (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Jun 5, 2020 by Dr. Van Baerle (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 24, 2021 by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 5, 2020 by Dr. Van Baerle (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 19, 2016 by bas yves (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 3, 2019 by A Razzaq A Razzaq Cheema (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Apr 25, 2021 by Sergio costantini (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 4, 2022 by Sylvain Gouttebroze (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 1, 1970 by Photoflora – L’Abbé COSTE (©)
Taken Apr 15, 2011 by Photoflora – Benoit BOCK (©)
Taken Jan 1, 1800 by Tela Botanica − Daniel MATHIEU (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Jun 26, 2021 by Boef Jelle (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 15, 2006 by Photoflora – Benoit BOCK (©)
Taken Jun 6, 2013 by Tela Botanica − Marie PORTAS (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 12, 2021 by Gerrit Brunink (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/5289906)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:419582-1)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Rostraria cristata (L.) Tzvelev)
Specifications
Growth habit: Graminoid