Stipa tenacissima
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Stipa tenacissima faces severe pressure from overgrazing by livestock, particularly goats and sheep, which prevents natural regeneration and degrades grassland ecosystems. Large-scale harvesting for commercial fiber production has intensified in recent decades, with entire populations being cut for esparto grass used in paper manufacturing and handicrafts. Climate change exacerbates these pressures through increased drought frequency and altered precipitation patterns in its Mediterranean and North African range.
Habitat
Stipa tenacissima inhabits semi-arid steppes, dry grasslands, and scrublands across the Mediterranean Basin and North Africa. It thrives in areas with annual rainfall between 200-600mm, forming extensive monospecific stands on calcareous soils and rocky slopes at elevations up to 1,500 meters.
