esparto

[ ih-spahr-toh ]

/ ɪˈspɑr toʊ /

any of several grasses, especially Stipa tenacissima, of southern Europe and northern Africa, used for making paper, cordage, etc.

Origin of esparto

1585–95; < Spanish < Latin spartum < Greek spárton rope made of spártos kind of rush

Esparto is a kind of grass now much used in the manufacture of paper.

Hours of Exercise in the Alps |John Tyndall
The only method of distinguishing between straw and esparto is by examination with the microscope.

The Manufacture of Paper |Robert Walter Sindall
Nowadays a much wider outlet has been found for esparto grass, and it is grown artificially.

The Mediterranean |T. G. (Thomas Gray) Bonney, E. A. R. Ball, H. D. Traill, Grant Allen, and Arthur Griffiths
Alfa, al′fa, n. an African name for esparto grass—also spelt Halfa.

Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D) |Various

Almost all the animal life of the Sahara is deadly, and the esparto grass picker is constantly facing danger.

Wealth of the World's Waste Places and Oceania |Jewett Castello Gilson

esparto

/ (ɛˈspɑːtəʊ) /

any of various grasses, esp Stipa tenacissima of S Europe and N Africa, that yield a fibre used to make ropes, mats, etc

C18: from Spanish, via Latin from Greek sparton rope made of rushes, from spartos a kind of rush