| Purple moor-grass | |
|---|---|
| |
| Habitus | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Genus: | Molinia |
| Species: | M. caerulea
|
| Binomial name | |
| Molinia caerulea | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Aira caerulea | |
Molinia caerulea, known by the common name purple moor-grass,[1] is a species of grass that is native to Europe, west Asia, and north Africa. It grows in locations from the lowlands up to 2,300 m (7,546 ft) in the Alps. Like most grasses, it grows best in acid soils, ideally pH values of between 3.5 and 5, however, it can continue to live under more extreme conditions, sometimes to as low as 2. It is common on moist heathland, bogs and moorland throughout Great Britain and Ireland. Introduced populations exist in northeastern and northwestern North America.[2]
The specific epithet caerulea means "deep blue"[3] and refers to the purple spikelets.
- ^ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
- ^ Molinia caerulea (L.) Moench
- ^ Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. p. 224. ISBN 9781845337315.