This article is about a type of grass. For the aircraft built by Caproni, see Stipa-Caproni.
Stipa is a genus of around 300 large perennial hermaphroditic grasses collectively known as feather grass, needle grass, and spear grass. They are placed in the subfamily Pooideae and the tribe Stipeae.
Many species are important forage crops. Several species such as Stipa brachytricha, S. arundinacea, S. splendens, S. calamagrostis, S. gigantea and S. pulchra are used as ornamental plants. One species, esparto grass (Stipa tenacissima), is used for crafts and extensively in paper making.
Ecology
Species of the genus Stipa can occur in grasslands[1] or in savanna habitats. Certain specific prairie plant associations are dominated by grasses of the genus Stipa, which genus often lends its name to the terminology of some prairie types.[2] In some areas of the western USA grasses of the genus Stipa form a significant part of the understory of Blue Oak savannas, and were even a more important element prehistorically before the invasion of many European grasses.[3]
Selected species
- Stipa arundinacea
- Stipa avenacea - black oat grass
- Stipa baicalensis
- Stipa bavarica
- Stipa brachytricha - Korean feather grass
- Stipa calamagrostis - (Common) spear grass
- Stipa canadensis
- Stipa capillata
- Stipa comata
- Stipa gigantea - giant feather grass
- Stipa grandis
- Stipa ichu - Peruvian feather grass
- Stipa joannis
- Stipa leucotricha - Texas winter grass
- Stipa mexicana
- Stipa mollis
- Stipa pennata - (Common) feather grass
- Stipa robusta - sleepy grass
- Stipa spartea - porcupine grass
- Stipa splendens
- Stipa tenacissima - esparto grass
- Stipa viridula - green needle grass
See also
References
- Elgaily Osman Ahmed (1983) Fire Ecology of Stipa Pulchra in California Annual Grassland, published by University of California, 128 pages
- Ecological Society of America (1921) Ecology, published by Ecological Society of America, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, v.2
- C. Michael Hogan (2008) Blue Oak: Quercus douglasii, GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg
Line notes
- ^ Elgaily Osman Ahmed, 1983
- ^ Ecological Society of America, 1921
- ^ *C. Michael Hogan, 2008
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