Subtribe Airinae Higher classification Grasses | Scientific name Deschampsia Rank Genus | |
 | ||
Lower classifications Deschampsia cespitosa, Deschampsia flexuosa, Deschampsia antarctica, Deschampsia elongata, Deschampsia danthonioides | ||
Echinacea and deschampsia in garden at sunset
Deschampsia is a genus of plants in the grass family, commonly known as hair grass or tussock grass. The genus is widespread across many countries.
The genus is named for French physician and naturalist Louis Auguste Deschamps, 1765-1842.
Deschampsia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species 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.
- Deschampsia airiformis (Steud.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex B.D.Jacks. - Chile, Argentina
- Deschampsia angusta Stapf & C.E.Hubb. - Zaire, Kenya, Uganda
- Deschampsia antarctica E.Desv. - Chile, Argentina, Antarctica, Falkland Is, South Georgia, Crozet Is, Heard-McDonald Is, Kerguelen Is, South Sandwich Is
- Deschampsia argentea Lowe - Azores, Madeira, Canary Is
- Deschampsia atropurpurea (Wahlenb.) Scheele - northern Eurasia, North America, Chile, Argentina
- Deschampsia baicalensis Tzvelev - Irkutsk
- Deschampsia berteroniana (Kunth) F.Meigen - Chile, Argentina
- Deschampsia bottnica (Wahlenb.) Trin. - Kvarken Archipelago (part of Finland)
- Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) P.Beauv. - temperate, subarctic, + alpine regions in North America, Eurasia, Africa, Australia, various islands
- Deschampsia chapmanii Petrie - New Zealand incl Antipodes, Macquarie Is
- Deschampsia christophersenii C.E.Hubb. - Tristan da Cunha
- Deschampsia cordillerarum Hauman - Chile, Argentina
- Deschampsia danthonioides (Trin.) Munro – Annual hairgrass - Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia, western USA, Mexico
- Deschampsia elongata (Hook.) Munro - Chile, Argentina, United States incl Alaska, Canada, Mexico
- Deschampsia flexuosa (L.) Trin - Eurasia, alpine areas in Africa; northern North America, southern South America, Falkland Is
- Deschampsia foliosa Hack. - Azores
- Deschampsia gracillima Kirk New Zealand incl Antipodes, Tasmania
- Deschampsia kingii (Hook.f.) É.Desv. - Chile, Argentina
- Deschampsia klossii Ridl. - Lesser Sunda Is, New Guinea
- Deschampsia koelerioides Regel - Siberia, Central Asia, China, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Pakistan
- Deschampsia laxa Phil. - Chile, Argentina
- Deschampsia leskovii Tzvelev - northern European Russia
- Deschampsia liebmanniana (E.Fourn.) Hitchc. - Mexico
- Deschampsia ligulata (Stapf) Henrard - Borneo
- Deschampsia looseriana Parodi - Chile
- Deschampsia maderensis (Hack. & Bornm.) Buschm. - Madeira
- Deschampsia media (Gouan) Roem. & Schult. - central + southern Europe, Morocco, Caucasus
- Deschampsia mejlandii C.E.Hubb. - Tristan da Cunha
- Deschampsia mendocina Parodi - Argentina
- †Deschampsia mexicana Scribn. - Mexico, apparently extinct
- Deschampsia mildbraedii Pilg. - Cameroon
- Deschampsia nubigena Hillebr. - Hawaii
- Deschampsia parvula (Hook.f.) É.Desv. - Chile, Argentina, Falkland Is, Anvers Island
- Deschampsia patula (Phil.) Skottsb. - Chile, Argentina
- Deschampsia pusilla Petrie - New Zealand South Island
- Deschampsia robusta C.E.Hubb. - Tristan da Cunha
- Deschampsia setacea (Huds.) Hack. - northern + western Europe
- Deschampsia tenella Petrie - New Zealand
- Deschampsia venustula Parodi - Chile, Argentina
- Deschampsia wacei C.E.Hubb.- Tristan da Cunha
numerous species now regarded a better suited to other genera: Aira Antinoria Bromus Calamagrostis Centropodia Colpodium Dissanthelium Holcus Periballia Peyritschia Poa Trisetum Vahlodea
