Memoranda Soc. Soc. Fauna Fauna Flora Flora Fennica Fennica 88, 88: 2012 37–52. • Hæggström 2012 et al. 37 The grass genus Aira in Finland Carl-Adam Hæggström, Ralf Carlsson & Eeva Hæggström Hæggström, C.-A., Botanical Museum, P.O. Box 7, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland. E-mail:
[email protected] Carlsson, R., Högbackagatan 10, AX-22100 Mariehamn, Åland, Finland. E-mail:
[email protected] Hæggström, E., Tornfalksvägen 2/26, FI-02620 Esbo, Finland. Three species of the genus Aira, viz. A. praecox, A. caryophyllea and A. elegantissima, have been found in Finland. The geographical range of each species is outlined. Whereas A. praecox has been known since 1912 in the Åland Islands, A. caryophyllea was found as a new species for Finland on the mainland of Kumlinge, Åland Islands, in 2008. A. elegantissima has been found as an intro- duced plant (weed or sown as an ornamental grass) in five localities in different parts of southern Finland between 1868 and 1985. All seven known localities with their separate stands of A. prae- cox were studied in detail in the Åland Islands in 2009. Of these localities, one was found in 2005 and two in 2009. The accompanying vascular plants were noted and their calcium dependence was assessed according to previous studies. The accompanying species comprised 113 field layer taxa, most of them common in the Åland Islands. The majority of the accompanying taxa belong to the calcium-neutral group. However, 27 calciphilic species were found, about 24 % of all the accom- panying taxa. The amount of calciphilic species was compared to previous studies in Åland.