About Macrochloa tenacissima (L.) Kunth
Macrochloa tenacissima (L.) Kunth has the synonym Stipa tenacissima, and is commonly known by multiple common names: esparto, esparto grass, halfah grass, alfa grass, or needle grass. It is a perennial grass native to the region that includes northwestern Africa and southern Iberian Peninsula. Phylogenetic and morphological evidence has shown this species does not belong to the genus Stipa, so recent taxonomic sources classify it as Macrochloa tenacissima. Its full native distribution covers the Iberian Peninsula, the Balearic Islands, and western North Africa (specifically Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya). It grows in dry, rocky, base-rich soils, where it forms steppe-like grassland stands. Human communities have managed this species for centuries. The fiber produced by Macrochloa tenacissima, called esparto, is used for craft work including cords, basketry, and espadrilles, and is also used to make paper.
