Ampelodesmos

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Monocots
Cladus: Commelinids
Ordo: Poales

Familia: Poaceae
Subfamilia: Pooideae
Tribus: Ampelodesmeae
Genus: Ampelodesmos
Species: A. mauritanicus
Name

Ampelodesmos Link, Hort. Berol. 1: 136 (1827)
monotypic taxon

References

Link, J.H.F. 1827. Hortus Regius Botanicus Berolinensis 1: 136.
Govaerts, R. et al. 2013. Ampelodesmos in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2013 Oct. 27. Reference page.
Simon, B.K., Clayton, W.D., Harman, K.T., Vorontsova, M., Brake, I., Healy, D. & Alfonso, Y. 2013. GrassWorld, Ampelodesmos. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2013 Oct. 27.
Hochbach, A., Schneider, J. & Röser, M. 2015. A multi-locus analysis of phylogenetic relationships within grass subfamily Pooideae (Poaceae) inferred from sequences of nuclear single copy gene regions compared with plastid DNA. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 87: 14-27. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2015.03.010 Paywall Reference page.
Tropicos.org 2013. Ampelodesmos. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2013 Oct. 27.
International Plant Names Index. 2013. Ampelodesmos. Published online. Accessed: 27 Oct. 2013.

Ampelodesmos is a genus of Mediterranean plants in the grass family,[4] which is known by the common names stramma, Mauritania grass, rope grass, and dis(s) grass.[5] It is classified in its own tribe Ampelodesmeae within the grass subfamily Pooideae.[6]

The genus probably originated through ancient hybrid speciation, as a cross between parents from tribes Stipeae and Phaenospermateae.[6]

Ampelodesmos mauritanicus is a large clumping perennial bunchgrass, which is native to the Mediterranean region. It has been introduced outside its native range and is cultivated as an ornamental grass. Its nodding flower panicles can be nearly two feet long. In its native area it is used as a fiber for making mats, brooms, and twine. The plant can become an Invasive species in non-native ecosystems beyond the Mediterranean Basin.[7][8] Its nodding flower panicles can be nearly two feet long. In its native area it is used as a fiber for making mats, brooms, and twine.[9] The leaves of this grass are really quite savage and can inflict small cuts and cause irritating red raised areas on unwary hikers.

The genus name comes from the Greek ampelos, "vine", and desmos, "bond", from its former use as a string to tie up grapevines.

Species[10]

Ampelodesmos ampelodesmon (Cirillo) Kerguélen - Sicily[11][12]
Ampelodesmos mauritanicus (Poir.) T.Durand & Schinz - Spain incl Balearic Is, France incl Corsica, Italy incl Sardinia + Sicily, Greece, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya

formerly included[3]

see Cortaderia

Ampelodesmos australis - Cortaderia pilosa

References

Link, Johann Heinrich Friedrich 1827. Hortus Regius Botanicus Berolinensis 1: 136 in Latin
Tropicos, Ampelodesmos Link
Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
Watson L, Dallwitz MJ. (2008). "The grass genera of the world: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval; including synonyms, morphology, anatomy, physiology, phytochemistry, cytology, classification, pathogens, world and local distribution, and references". The Grass Genera of the World. Retrieved 2009-08-19.
Kerguélen, Michel François-Jacques 1976. Bulletin de la Société Botanique de France 123(5–6): 319
Soreng, Robert J.; Peterson, Paul M.; Romaschenko, Konstantin; Davidse, Gerrit; Teisher, Jordan K.; Clark, Lynn G.; Barberá, Patricia; Gillespie, Lynn J.; Zuloaga, Fernando O. (2017). "A worldwide phylogenetic classification of the Poaceae (Gramineae) II: An update and a comparison of two 2015 classifications". Journal of Systematics and Evolution. 55 (4): 259–290. doi:10.1111/jse.12262. ISSN 1674-4918. open access
Jepson Manual Treatment
United States Department of Agriculture Plants Profile
Food & Agriculture Organization, Corporate Document Repository, The role of Ampelodesmos mauritanicus and fibre plants in central Italy
The Plant List search for Ampelodesmos
Cirillo, Domenico Maria Leone 1788. Plantarum Rariorum Regni Neapolitani 2: 30
Tropicos, Arundo ampelodesmon Cirillo