Esparto
Esparto, or Spanish Grass, a grass native to the Mediterranean area. It flourishes on the sandy, semi-arid slopes of Spain and Algeria. Esparto is leafy and hairy, and reaches a height of three to five feet (90–150 cm). Its tough-fibered leaves are used to make rope and paper. It has become naturalized in the northeastern quarter of the United States, but is not cultivated because better paper-making materials are readily available.
Esparto is Stipa tenacissima of the grass family, Gramineae.