Feather-grass with pennate sheets

The feather-grass with pennate sheets ( Stipa pennata ) is a perennial herbaceous plant, of the family of the Poacée S. It is a plant of the center and south of the Europe, characteristic of the sunny dry mediums (steppe) of the slopes and rocks up to 2500 m of altitude.

Stems drawn up from 30 to 80 cm height.
Sheets lancéolées, stiff, rolled up.
lengthened oval Ligula.
loose Inflorescence, narrow, in general engainée by the higher sheet;
Épillets green-yellowish, long 4-5, sometimes 6 cm;
lengthened Glumes, attenuated at a peak, twice longer than the lemma;
Flowering from May to August.

The principal threat on the perenniality of Stipa pennata is due to the agricultural changes: stop of the extensive pasture.

The stop of these practices involves the closing of the medium. I.e. the installation of a more advanced ecosystem which generally tends towards a forest climax. This shows the interest to keep a certain exploitation of the medium guaranteeing a better biodiversity. Indeed, the biodiversity of a grazed lawn is higher of number than a forest ecosystem.

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