Stipa
| Stipa | |
|---|---|
| |
| Green needle grass, Stipa viridula | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| (unranked): | |
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| Genus: | Stipa |
| Species | |
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Some 300, see text. | |
| Synonyms | |
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Lasiagrostis Link | |
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[2] 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.[3] In some areas of the western United States 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.[4]
Selected species
- Stipa arundinacea
- Stipa avenacea – black oat grass
- Stipa baicalensis Roshev.
- Stipa barbata Desf.
- Stipa bavarica
- Stipa borysthenica
- Stipa brachytricha – Korean feather grass
- Stipa canadensis
- Stipa capensis
- Stipa capillata L.
- Stipa comata
- Stipa gigantea
- Stipa grandis P.A.Smirn.
- Stipa hymenoides
- Stipa joannis Čelak.
- Stipa leptogluma
- Stipa mexicana
- Stipa milleana
- Stipa mollis
- Stipa pennata L. – feather grass
- Stipa spartea – porcupine grass
- Stipa speciosa
- Stipa tirsa Steven
- Stipa tulcanensis
- Stipa turkestanica Hack.
- Stipa viridula – green needle grass[5]
- Stipa zalesskii Wilensky
Formerly placed here
- Achnatherum aridum (as S. arida)
- Achnatherum calamagrostis (L.) P.Beauv. (as S. calamagrostis (L.) Wahlenb.)
- Achnatherum robustum (Vasey) Barkworth (as S. robusta (Vasey) Scribn.)
- Achnatherum splendens (Trin.) Nevski (as S. splendens Trin.)
- Celtica gigantea (Link) F. M. Vazquez & Barkworth (as S. gigantea Link)
- Jarava ichu Ruiz & Pav. (as S. ichu (Ruiz & Pav.) Kunth)
- Macrochloa tenacissima (Loefl. ex L.) Kunth (as S. tenacissima Loefl. ex L.)
- Nassella leucotricha (Trin. & Rupr.) R.W.Pohl (as S. leucotricha Trin. & Rupr.)
- Nassella pulchra (Hitchc.) Barkworth (as S. pulchra Hitchc.)
- Oryzopsis hymenoides (as S. hymenoides)[5]
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
- ^ a b "Genus: Stipa L." Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 1998-09-14. Retrieved 2011-06-27.
- ^ Elgaily Osman Ahmed, 1983
- ^ Ecological Society of America, 1921
- ^ *C. Michael Hogan, 2008
- ^ a b "GRIN Species Records of Stipa". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2011-06-27.