Esparto

Halfagras ( Stipa tenacissima )

Halfagras ( Stipa tenacissima ), and esparto grass, is a native to the western Mediterranean grass species, the leaf fibers are used for making ropes and paper ( Alfa paper).

Features

The perennial grass forms 60 to 150 centimeters tall clumps. The leaves are unfolded and green only during the growing season. During the dry season they are curled and appear gray. On top of the leaves are densely pubescent. The ligule is short and ciliate.

The flowers are in panicles, which are 25 to 35 inches long. The single-flowered spikelets are tight. The glumes are pointed membranous and long. Their length is between 2.5 and 3 inches. The lemma is also membranous. It has two columns at the top. At about an inch long lemma sits a four to six inches long awn. The awn is hairy at the bottom.

Occurrence

The Halfagras is located on the southern Iberian Peninsula, northwest Africa and the Balearic Islands. It grows in steppes, on pastures and in open pine forests.

Use

The leaves of the Halfagrases be like that of esparto grass ( Lygeum spartum ) for weaving (hats, shoes, bags, mats), Ropes and manufacture of high-quality paper ( paper Alfa ) were used.

System

A synonym for Stipa tenacissima is Macrochloa tenacissima (L.) Kunth.

Documents

• Ingrid Schoenfelder, Peter Schoenfelder: The Cosmos Mediterranean flora. Franckh, Stuttgart 1990, ISBN 3-440-05300-8
• Stipa tenacissima. In: Clayton, W. D., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards ). Grass Base - The Online World Grass Flora. [ accessed on 27 October 2007]