Stipa tenacissima

Esparto grass
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
(unranked): Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Stipa
Species: S. tenacissima
Binomial name
Stipa tenacissima
L.
Synonyms

Macrochloa tenacissima (L.) Kunth.

Stipa tenacissima, (esparto, esparto grass, halfah grass or needles grass) is a perennial grass of northwestern Africa and the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula.

Distribution

Stipa tenacissima is an endemic species of the Western Mediterranean countries. It grows in Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. Grows over poor soils in dry conditions, forming a steppic grasslands, managed by people since centuries.

Uses

Main article: Esparto

Stipa tenacissima produces a fiber product called esparto which is used for crafts, such as cords, basketry, and espadrilles as well as for making paper.

See also

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Saturday, February 06, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.