What is "deschampsia"

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.

1. Deschampsia airiformis (Steud.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex B.D.Jacks. - Chile, Argentina
2. Deschampsia angusta Stapf & C.E.Hubb. - Zaire, Kenya, Uganda
3. Deschampsia antarctica E.Desv. - Chile, Argentina, Antarctica, Falkland Is, South Georgia, Crozet Is, Heard-McDonald Is, Kerguelen Is, South Sandwich Is
4. Deschampsia argentea Lowe - Azores, Madeira, Canary Is
5. Deschampsia atropurpurea (Wahlenb.) Scheele - northern Eurasia, North America, Chile, Argentina
6. Deschampsia baicalensis Tzvelev - Irkutsk
7. Deschampsia berteroniana (Kunth) F.Meigen - Chile, Argentina
8. Deschampsia bottnica (Wahlenb.) Trin. - Kvarken Archipelago (part of Finland)
9. Deschampsia cespitosa (L.) P.Beauv. - temperate, subarctic, + alpine regions in North America, Eurasia, Africa, Australia, various islands
10. Deschampsia chapmanii Petrie - New Zealand incl Antipodes, Macquarie Is
11. Deschampsia christophersenii C.E.Hubb. - Tristan da Cunha
12. Deschampsia cordillerarum Hauman - Chile, Argentina
13. 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

1. Deschampsia flexuosa (L.) Trin - Eurasia, alpine areas in Africa; northern North America, southern South America, Falkland Is
2. Deschampsia foliosa Hack. - Azores
3. Deschampsia gracillima Kirk New Zealand incl Antipodes, Tasmania
4. Deschampsia kingii (Hook.f.) É.Desv. - Chile, Argentina
5. Deschampsia klossii Ridl. - Lesser Sunda Is, New Guinea
6. Deschampsia koelerioides Regel - Siberia, Central Asia, China, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Pakistan
7. Deschampsia laxa Phil. - Chile, Argentina
8. Deschampsia leskovii Tzvelev - northern European Russia
9. Deschampsia liebmanniana (E.Fourn.) Hitchc. - Mexico
10. Deschampsia ligulata (Stapf) Henrard - Borneo
11. Deschampsia looseriana Parodi - Chile
12. Deschampsia maderensis (Hack. & Bornm.) Buschm. - Madeira
13. Deschampsia media (Gouan) Roem. & Schult. - central + southern Europe, Morocco, Caucasus
14. Deschampsia mejlandii C.E.Hubb. - Tristan da Cunha
15. Deschampsia mendocina Parodi - Argentina
16. † Deschampsia mexicana Scribn. - Mexico, apparently extinct
17. Deschampsia mildbraedii Pilg. - Cameroon
18. Deschampsia nubigena Hillebr. - Hawaii
19. Deschampsia parvula (Hook.f.) É.Desv. - Chile, Argentina, Falkland Is, Anvers Island
20. Deschampsia patula (Phil.) Skottsb. - Chile, Argentina
21. Deschampsia pusilla Petrie - New Zealand South Island
22. Deschampsia robusta C.E.Hubb. - Tristan da Cunha
23. Deschampsia setacea (Huds.) Hack. - northern + western Europe
24. Deschampsia tenella Petrie - New Zealand
25. Deschampsia venustula Parodi - Chile, Argentina
26. 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