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Lygeum spartum
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Lygeum spartum

plant

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description

  • esparto
    In esparto

    …gray-green needlegrasses (Stipa tenacissima and Lygeum spartum) in the family Poaceae that are indigenous to southern Spain and northern Africa; the term also denotes the fibre obtained from those grasses. Esparto fibre has great strength and flexibility, and both species have for centuries been used for making ropes, sandals, baskets,…

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Spain

  • Spain
    In Spain: Vegetation

    An esparto grass (Lygeum spartum) is found in the steppes of La Mancha and the southeast; the esparto products of Spain (paper, rope, basketry), however, come from an associated alfa grass (Stipa tenacissima). Poplar and eucalyptus have become widespread since the 19th century.

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grass
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grass

plant
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grass, any of many low, green, nonwoody plants belonging to the grass family (Poaceae), the sedge family (Cyperaceae), and the rush family (Juncaceae). There are many grasslike members of other flowering plant families, but only the approximately 10,000 species in the family Poaceae are true grasses.

They are economically the most important of all flowering plants because of their nutritious grains and soil-forming function, and they have the most-widespread distribution and the largest number of individuals. Grasses provide forage for grazing animals, shelter for wildlife, construction materials, furniture, utensils, and food for humans. Some species are grown as garden ornamentals, cultivated as turf for lawns and recreational areas, or used as cover plants for erosion control. Most grasses have round stems that are hollow between the joints, bladelike leaves, and extensively branching fibrous root systems.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn.
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