Wangenheimia is a monotypic genus of plants in the grass family. The only known species is Wangenheimia lima.Moench, Conrad. 1794. Methodus Plantas Horti Botanici et Agri Marburgensis : a staminum situ describendi 200 in LatinTropicos, Wangenheimia Moench

Description An annual ornamental grass, which bears unusual, feather-like or herringbone-shaped seedheads on long, wiry stems, all summer long. It can grow up to tall, with long green leaves that have shades of silver when young.

Taxonomy

The genus is named after the Prussian botanist Friedrich Adam Julius von Wangenheim (1749–1800). The Latin specific epithet of lima refers to the Latin noun of file, often referring to a rough surface.D. Ohrnberger Wangenheimia was first described and published in Methodus on page 200 in 1794. The species was first published in Fund. Agrost. on page 132 in 1820.

The genus is not recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service, listing it as a synonym of Festuca L. and they do not list any known species.

Distribution It is native to Spain and Portugal (in Europe) and Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia (in North Africa).Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1980). Flora Europaea 5: 1-452. Cambridge University PressDobignard, D. & Chatelain, C. (2010). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 1: 1-455. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.

It is found in grasslands,Javier Loidi (Editor) at altitudes of above sea level.Mikel Lorda López

Cultivation It has been cultivated under the name Wangenheimia 'Lima Vulcan', Wangenheimia lima 'Vulcan',Nico Vermeulen or Wangenheimia lima ‘Vulcan’ and “Vulcan Grass”.

References