Stipa

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Stipa
Green needle grass, Stipa viridula
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Poales Family: Poaceae Genus: Stipa L.
Species
Some 300, see text.

This article is about a type of grass. For the aircraft built by Caproni, see Caproni-Stipa.

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.

One species, esparto grass (Stipa tenacissima), is used for crafts and extensively in paper making.

Several species such as Stipa brachytricha, S. arundinacea, S. splendens, S. calamagrostis, S. gigantea and S. pulchra are used as ornamental plants. Many species are also important livestock forage.

[edit] Selected species

• Stipa arundinacea
• Stipa avenacea - black oat grass
• Stipa bavarica
• Stipa brachytricha - Korean feather grass
• Stipa calamagrostis - (Common) spear grass
• Stipa canadensis
• Stipa capillata
• Stipa comata
• Stipa gigantea - giant feather grass
• Stipa ichu - Peruvian feather grass
• Stipa joannis
• Stipa leucotricha - Texas winter grass
• 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

[edit] See also

• Macrochloa
• Nassella