Stipa
(from stipe, a silky or feathery substance; alluding to the inflorescence). Including Lasiagrostis and Macrochloa. ORD. Gramineae. A large genus (nearly 100 species) of stove, greenhouse, or hardy, tall or rarely dwarf, perennial grasses, widely distributed over tropical and temperate regions. Spikelets one-flowered, narrow, paniculate, the rachis of the spikelet articulated above the lower glumes; glumes three, narrow, keeled, the two outer ones usually persistent; panicle terminal, often slender, slightly branched. Leaves convolute-terete or rarely flat. A selection from the few introduced hardy species is given below. With the exception of S. elegan-tissima, all are hardy. S. pennata, the well-known Feather Grass of gardens, is a very ornamental plant. Stipas thrive in any ordinary soil, and may be increased by seeds or by divisions.
S. elegantissima (very elegant). fl., panicle very loose, 6in. to 8in. long, at length broadly spreading; the rachis and long, filiform branches elegantly plumose with fine, spreading hairs. l. narrow, mostly erect, convolute when dry. Stems from a horizontal rhizome. erect and branching, 2ft. to 3ft. high. Australia. Greenhouse.
S. gigantea (gigantic). fl., glumes subulate, much longer than the perianth; perianth 1/2in. long, naked above; bristles slightly twisted, flexuous, very slenderly pubescent, five times longer than the glumes. h. 3ft. Spain, 1823. S. juncea (Rush-like). fl., glumes subulate, one-third longer than the perianth, the lower ones slightly larger; perianth nearly five lines long, naked above; bristles twisted, plicate, pilose, six times longer than the glumes; anthers bearded. h. 3ft. Southwest Europe, 1772. S. Lasiagrostis (Lasiagrostis).* fl. shortly stipitate; spikelets one-flowered; glumes two, exceeding the flowers; panicle thickened, branched, diffuse. l. flat. Culm often branched. South Europe. Plant tall, erect, showy. SYN. Lasiagrostis Calamagrostis.
S. pennata (feathery).* Feather Grass. fl., glumes more than double the length of the perianth, the lower ones rather larger; perianth more than 1/2in. long, naked above; bristles twisted, plicate, plumed above, eight times longer than the glumes; anthers naked. h. 2ft. Europe (said to have been found in Britain, but this is doubtful). This plant has been long grown in gardens: according to Gerarde, the ladies used to wear the beautifully feathered beards as feathers. S. tenacissima (very tenacious). Esparto Grass. fl. stipitate; paleae membranous, the lower one bifid at apex; panicles spicate, branched, clustered or divaricate. l. convolute, filiform. South Europe. A tall grass. SYN. Macrochloa tenacissima.