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Deschampsia antarctica

Deschampsia antarctica
Deschampsia antarctica.jpg
Antarctic hair grass
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
(unranked): Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Deschampsia
Species: D. antarctica
Binomial name
Deschampsia antarctica
É.Desv.
Synonyms
  • Airidium elegantulum Steud.
  • Deschampsia elegantula (Steud.) Parodi
  • Deschampsia henrardii Kloos

Deschampsia antarctica (Antarctic hair grass) is one of two flowering plants native to Antarctica, the other being Colobanthus quitensis (Antarctic pearlwort).

They mainly occur on the South Orkney Islands, the South Shetland Islands, and along the western Antarctic Peninsula. A recent warming trend has increased germination, and thus number of seedlings and plants, also extending their range southward to cover larger areas; reports indicate a twenty-fivefold increase in their number.

Deschampsia antarctica has been recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records as the southernmost flowering plant. In 1981, a specimen was found on the Antarctic Peninsula's Refuge Islands at a latitude of 68°21′S.


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