Stipa pennata (L.)
Order Plants
Family Cereals - Poaceae (Gramineae)
Status of the species in the country and in adjacent regions
Listed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation (category 3), as well as in the Red Books of the Lipetsk, Moscow, Ryazan (all category 2) and Oryol (category 3) regions.
Habitats and biology
A characteristic appearance of steppe areas, as well as limestone outcrops along river banks and slopes of ravines and gullies. It blooms in May-June, the fruits ripen in late June - early July. At this time, an aspect may be created in some places. Reproduces only by seeds. The maximum age of a turf-clone is 70-75 years. One of the most mesophytic feather grasses, an indicator of meadow-steppe moisture conditions. Ecologically, the most plastic species of the genus.
Limiting factors and threats
Plowing of steppe areas or their allocation for construction, overgrazing, overgrowing of habitats with trees and shrubs. Annual regular mowing leads to aging of turf due to its suppression or suppression of seed reproduction. Sensitive to trampling.
Description of the species
A perennial densely turf herbaceous plant 30-100 cm high. The leaves are 0.5-2.5 mm wide, flat or folded lengthwise, glabrous on the outside, covered with short spines on the inside. Single-flowered spikelets are collected in a narrow panicle. The spine of the lower lemma is long (25-40 cm), geniculately curved, pinnately pubescent in the upper half. The strip of hairs along the edge of the lower flower scale does not reach the base of the awn by 3-6 mm. The fruit is a grain.
Spreading
Mainly forest-steppe regions of Eurasia, from where it penetrates through dry pine forests in river valleys into the southern regions of the forest belt. In the Tula region it is located near the northern border of the range. Over the past 50 years, it has been recorded in Belevsky, Bogoroditsky, Venevsky, Volovsky, Efremovsky, Kimovsky, Kurkinsky, Odoevsky, Plavsky, Teplo-Ogarevsky, Shchekinsky and Yasnogorsky districts.
Number
Over the past 50 years, the species is known from at least 57 localities, but only about 1/3 of the populations contain 100 individuals or more.
Security measures taken
The species is prohibited for collection or destruction both on the territory of Russia and the Tula region. Recorded within the boundaries of 13 protected areas. V. I. Danilov successfully reintroduced it into the territory of a number of tracts of the Kulikovo Pole museum-reserve.
Necessary security measures
Compliance with the protection regime of protected areas in terms of the prohibition of plowing and land allocation for construction, as well as the regulation of grazing and the organization of non-annual haymaking. Monitoring the state of populations. Taking the largest and most viable populations of the species under territorial protection.
Compiled by
Kazakova M. V., Sobolev N. A.
Information sources
1. Sheremetyeva, Khorun et al., 2008; 2. Danilov, 1987; 3. Danilov, 1988; 4. Fedotov, Vasiliev, 1979; 5. Bedanokova et al., 1975; 6. Sheremeteva I. S., unpublished data; 7. Code…, 2001; 8. Resolution..., 1994.
Ornamental grasses add a special flavor to the design of the site. At the beginning of the last century, gardeners learned to select successful combinations of various types of herbs and flowering perennials, creating compositions of amazing beauty.
Feather grass is an unpretentious perennial ornamental grass of the grass family. The stem of the plant is thin, erect, the leaves are hard and thin.
The grass is especially decorative due to its fruits, which are equipped with long awns resembling narrow flexible feather. With their help, the grain is carried by the wind over a certain distance and settles on the soil surface. Under the influence of dew, the grain burrows into the soil, screwing in with a sharp edge like a corkscrew. Over time, the awn breaks off, and the grain remains in the ground, then giving life to a new plant.
Care
The plant does not require watering and fertilizing, since steppe feather grass is a drought-resistant grass. Caring for it comes down to only need to be fed once a year and periodically clearing the space of weeds. To ensure that the plantings do not lose their decorative appearance, faded shoots and dried leaves are cut off.
Sometimes this cereal is propagated by seeds, sowing directly into the ground before winter or planting seedlings in May. It is much easier to propagate this plant by dividing the bush; the root system of feather grass is quite weak.
Types of feather grass
Most Popular in landscape design are the following types:
Medicinal properties
Where is feather grass used? Feather grass has been successfully used to treat diseases thyroid gland and rheumatism. The plant contains cyanogenic compounds, which in small doses have a sedative and analgesic effect. The grass is harvested for treatment in May-June. The above-ground part of the plant is dried in a dark, well-ventilated place and then crushed. Store the resulting raw materials in a paper bag.
To get rid of goiter, make a poultice and drink a milk decoction of feather grass. Lotions help with rheumatism.
Signs
Feather grass in landscape design
Silky white panicles of feather grass, gently sloping towards the ground, have an expressive shape and perfectly convey the movement of the wind, so they are usually planted in a dense group so that the spikelets create a smooth, silky surface. Herbs are easily combined with flowers, conifers and shrubs. In landscape design, white feather grass is often used in rockeries, curtains and rock gardens to decorate rocky areas of the garden. In hot regions, such plants are planted in mixborders.
Ornamental grasses are valued by designers for their unpretentiousness and the fact that these grasses are good in any season - in the spring they form luscious carpets, complemented by carved panicles in summer, and in winter they form fabulous reliefs under a layer of snow, giving the landscape an aura of mystery.
Feather grass plant drawing
Genus Feather grass (Stipa) Family Poagrass
(Stipa pennata L.>.) Speaking about the Belgorod steppes, one cannot fail to mention the main dominant - feather feather grass. Feather grass is also found on outcrops of chalk and limestone. Feather grass is a perennial dense turf plant 30-100 cm high. The stems are bare, short pubescent under the nodes. The leaves are folded lengthwise or, less commonly, flat, 0.52 mm wide, short pointed at the apex.
Feather grass blooms in April - May, bears fruit in May - June. The inflorescence is a panicle, 3-5 cm long, with 6-20 spikelets. The feather grass flower is typical of cereals, but differs significantly from them in one way - a special lower flower scale. This dense film passes at the apex into a thin and extremely long filament-like appendage - the awn, up to 40 cm long. 189 The awn is geniculate-bent in the middle, bare in the lower twisted part, pinnate above, with hairs about 5 mm long. Thanks to the awn of feather grass, the wind carries it over long distances.
The center of gravity is located at the bottom of the grain, so its pointed lower part sticks into the ground. Near the tip there is a corolla of backward-facing hairs. As soon as the grain goes deep into the ground, the hairs, like small anchors, hold it. Self-burrowing of the grain begins. She, like a corkscrew, is screwed into the ground. If it’s dry, it twists like a screw; if it’s rained, it unwinds. But the fruit buries itself deeper and deeper into the ground.
It is important! feather grass can be found less and less often in the steppe. It is eaten by livestock on pastures. The inflorescences are often used in dry bouquets, and the feathery awns are painted in bright colors. Spring burning of dry grass and plowing of steppe areas causes great harm to feather grasses. Due to the reduction in numbers, the feather feather feather is subject to protection and is included in Russia (rarity status category II - a species declining in number).
Feather grass(tyrsa) (Stipa capillata L.j - perennial, turf plant 40-80 cm high. Grows in steppes underlain by chalk, on chalk outcrops, old fallow lands. It is more common than other types of feather grass. Its main difference is the bare hair-like awns 15 long -25 cm (hence why the plant got its name) and a later flowering time - July.
It is important! Before heading, feather grass (tyrsa) is well eaten by livestock and is considered the best food for milk mares and sheep. During fruiting, grazing on feather grass pastures becomes dangerous: sharp grains cling to the animal’s fur, then (due to hygroscopicity) they begin to move and penetrate into its body. As a result, the feather grass fruits not only cause suffering to the animal, but also often cause death, penetrating into its internal organs, causing abscesses and bleeding.
Previously, in veterinary textbooks this feather grass disease was called “sheke-krut,” which translated from Kazakh means “temporal worm.” This beautiful grass can also cause a feather-grass disease called “hedgehog beard” in horses and cattle. The leaves of feather grass resemble hair, the surface of which is densely strewn with sharp spines directed towards the top. These spines seem to come to life when they get inside the animal. One leaf, then another - a whole bunch of them is collected, which, with the help of spines, moves forward, causing damage to the animals.
Feather grass of Lessing(Stipa lessingiana Trin. et Rupr.j) grows in the steppes, on outcrops of chalk and limestone. It has a height of 30-70 cm. Its awns are feathery, covered with relatively short hairs. The length of the awns is 15-25 cm. The flower scales are small, rather short (length without awns 8-11 mm). Blooms in April - May, bears fruit in May - June. Propagated by seeds.
It is important! Feather grass of Lessing is considered the best of the feather grasses in terms of nutrition. However, it should be remembered that Lessing’s feather grass is included in Red Data Book of the Belgorod Region(rarity status category III - rare species).
In the steppes (Kamenya tract), two more rare species of feather grass, included in the Red Books of Russia and our region, are found in small quantities.
Feather grass(Stipa dasyphylla (Lindem.) Trautv.) has pubescent leaf blades. This distinguishes it from other types of feather grass. It has rarity status category I - endangered species.
Feather grass is beautiful(Stipa pulcherrima C.Koch) differs from the feather-leaved feather grass in having leaves that are bare on the outside or have sparse bristles, but without long soft hairs. From feather feather grass - a strip of hairs on the lower flower scales, 2.5 mm short of the base of the awn. It has rarity status category III - a rare species. These feather grasses in a vegetative state are eaten by livestock. Hairy-leaved feather grass is eaten much worse due to the presence of dense pubescence and strong roughness of the leaves.
This is interesting! Russian name feather grass comes from the Slavic word forge - to beat, chop. Feather grass means grass that is cut. Perhaps the word came from the Turkic language - kovalik, which means leafless reed. The Latin name of the genus Stipa goes back to the Greek tipa - tow, tow (due to the strong pubescence of the awns of most feather grass species).
Feather grasses, growing in the steppe, have adapted to life in conditions of constant lack of moisture. For example, their stomata are placed inside grooves running along the surface of the leaf. As soon as the sun begins to get hotter, the leaf rolls up into a tube. Now the stomata are securely hidden in the depths of the closed grooves, which themselves are located in the closed part of the leaf. This double protection protects the sheet from drying out.
Feather grass is a symbol of the steppe. Now that there are fewer and fewer of these unique communities left, it is necessary to preserve every surviving site. All habitats of these species should be included in botanical reserves or other forms of specially protected natural areas. And then every spring we will be able to admire the silvery, swaying steppe sea again and again!
Lit.: / Chernyavskikh V.I., Degtyar O.V., Degtyar A.V., Dumacheva E.V. - Belgorod.
Feather grass is a rare plant. This is a perennial grass of the Poa family (cereals), growing in the wild in southern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. In total, about three hundred species are known, in our region there are about 80 of them.
Types of feather grass
Feather grass is a perennial grass that grows in the steppes. The beautiful feather grass blooms for about a month, starting from the end of May. Prefers to grow in well-lit areas. Easily tolerates drought. The feather grass root, unlike many cereals, does not form creeping shoots. Feather grass differs from other cereals in that its grain is located in the lower scales with a sharp apex. The bristles on the axis are directed in the direction opposite to the awn, which is twisted in the form of a spiral.
Types of feather grass:
- Pinnate is often grown in gardens and is widely used in garden decoration. It has smooth leaves that end in a tuft of hairs. The awns are long, reaching 40 cm.
- The hairworm differs in the color and shape of the leaves. They have a grayish tint. Each leaf is rolled into a tube. The awns are fleecy, rather short, up to 18 cm. Feather grass grows up to 80 cm in height.
- In the wild, pubescent feather grass grows not only in the steppe, but also on rocks. The stem under each node is covered with a pubescence. The leaves are twisted into a tube with a diameter of up to 2 mm. They are covered with thin soft bristles. The length of the awn is up to 41 cm.
- Far Eastern grows in Siberia, Japan, China. The height of the plant is 180 cm. This is the tallest type of feather grass. Its leaves are wide, shiny, reaching 3 cm in width. The awns are long, up to half a meter.
- The thinnest is grown as an annual plant because it can withstand temperatures from 15 to 25 degrees. Originally from Mexico. The feather grass leaves of this variety are hard and the spikelets are whitish. Height up to 80 cm.
- The most beautiful reaches a height of 40-80 cm.
Beautiful feather grass: description
It is not without reason that this type of feather grass is called the most beautiful. During flowering, it amazes with its iridescent strands. The most beautiful feather grass is distinguished by its pubescent spikelet awns. During flowering, several silky threads appear from the panicle. They move smoothly downward, causing the plant to look like a pillow.
If a flowering plant is located nearby, it seems as if it is shrouded in a cloud of smoke.
Features of the structure:
- The most beautiful feather grass is a turf plant with a large number of stems. They are smooth and erect. Sometimes pubescent under the nodes.
- The basal leaves are dark green, narrow, long, straight. Hairless on top.
- The stem leaves are short, most often folded along their length, sometimes flat, up to 60 cm long, covered with small spines and fine hairs.
- The inflorescences of the most beautiful feather grass are racemose panicles. They look compact and compressed. The length of the spine is up to 30 cm, the hairs of the edge reach 3 mm.
The growing area of the most beautiful feather grass is the rocky areas of southern Europe (Crimea), Western Siberia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. He is able to climb to the top zone in the mountains. Withstands frosts down to -23 °C.
It belongs to the “Vulnerable” category because the number of beautiful feather grass is declining due to intensive economic use. This is the construction of various plants and pipelines, planting pine trees and other conifers. In the mountains, forest encroaches on steppe areas, which also leads to a reduction in the feather grass population. The plant is included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation. Not included in the IUCN Red List.
To grow beautiful feather grass, you need to have seed material. Feather grass is propagated by seeds, like any cereals. In the wild, the wind carries the grain long distances from the parent plant. This is facilitated by the feathery-pubescent networks in which it is hidden. They are picked up by the wind and carried several meters. They reach the ground a certain time after they land. After all, there is a lot of old grass and leaves around.
At night, under the influence of evening dew, the spiral-shaped knee swells, unfolds, and part of the spine is pressed to the ground. The grain is screwed into the soil. In the morning the knee curls, the stem unbends, but the grain cannot rise up. She is prevented from doing this by the bristles, which cling to the soil like an arrow. It remains in the soil where it will germinate over time.
When grown at home, propagation by seeds is used.
The most beautiful feather grass does not reproduce by self-sowing. Its seeds will not germinate near the mother plant. Doesn't like transplantation. It survives very poorly after it. It can grow in one place for up to 10 years.
Features of cultivation:
- 1-2 months. After the sprouts appear, they are immediately planted in a permanent place. Planting time is mid-May to late June.
- You can sow seeds in the ground before winter. But in severe frosts they may not germinate.
- Feather grass is sown in the driest area, where there is never flooding with groundwater. If there is no such area on the territory, you can arrange drainage and create a high ridge.
- The beautiful feather grass prefers gypsum or limestone soil. Therefore, when sowing, you need to add a little lime to ordinary garden soil. Humus and sand are added.
- It is necessary to moisten the soil in which the feather grass is sown only at the beginning, until it germinates. Then they are grown without watering. Excess moisture is harmful to feather grass. It reacts especially poorly to stagnant moisture near the roots. In this case, he dies.
Care consists of weeding, which can choke the young plant. Later, when it grows, it is not afraid of weeds. Sometimes around the plant. This is done rather to prevent the weeds from breaking through. There is no need to feed the beautiful feather grass. This can only be shown if the plant is damaged by pests. In late autumn, faded shoots are cut off, leaving leaves.
Beautiful feather grass is used to create dry bouquets. It does not lose its attractiveness throughout autumn and winter. Not everyone will decide to place them in their home because of the bad beliefs associated with this plant. Installed in office premises, they look original and beautiful.
The raw materials of feather grass contain valuable biologically active substances. Trigdoquinine is considered one of the most valuable. Feather feather grass contains especially a lot of it. In small quantities, these substances soothe and relieve pain.
More information can be found in the video:
Feather feather grass - fluffy flower
Feather grass is a type of grass from the grass family. In nature, it is widespread in the steppe zone of Russia and Kazakhstan, the forest-steppe of Western Siberia. Popular in garden floriculture.
Description of feather feather grass
Perennial with a long trunk from 30 to 100 cm. The surface is smooth, knotty, with slight pubescence. The leaves are wiry-long, glabrous and or rough on the outside. Twisted lengthwise. There are several hairs at the tips.
Source: Depositphotos
Feather grass contrasts unusually with other plants in the garden
Inflorescences are collective panicles of 5–20 spikelets up to 25 cm long and 3–7 mm wide. The glume has marginal hairiness in the lower part and does not touch the apex. The awn is from 10 to 40 cm long. Initially twisted, twice bent in the direction of growth. The fruit is in the shape of a conical grain with a feathery awn, as in the photo of feather grass. Blooms from May to June. The fruits appear in July.
Reproduction occurs by self-sowing. When ripe, they fall off and are carried by the wind throughout the area. There is another way. At night the grass closes up. The lower spiral part unwinds and presses the trunk to the ground. The grain buries itself in the ground. At dawn, the plant straightens, leaving the grain in the hole.
Natural varieties of feather grass:
- pinnate;
- hairy;
- pubescent-leaved;
- Far Eastern;
- most beautiful;
- narrow-leaved;
- reddish.
All representatives vary in height and place of wild growth. In the Russian steppes, the last two species are more common.
Growing
Feather grass is easier to propagate by dividing the bush. For the first time, the seed method is possible. Planting is carried out in spring or before winter. The grass is easy to care for. It is enough to place 3-4 grains in a hole.
Ready-made soil is not prohibited. Sowed in March. Shoots emerge on the fifth day. The seedlings are transferred to the ground in May. The distance between plantings is 15–20 cm.
Not all seedlings manage to survive frosts. The best survival rate is observed in seedlings.
Caring for feather grass consists of regular watering and weeding. Does not require fertilizing. Prefers open sunny areas. Does not tolerate excess moisture. This must be taken into account when choosing a planting site without groundwater. Grows better in an acidic environment.
For medicinal purposes, feather grass is used for thyroid disease. Root decoctions are indicated for restoring motor function after paralysis. Common in rocky garden landscapes. It is a rare species in the wild and is under state protection. Grows on slopes, as part of meadow grasses.