''Cortaderia'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...

n and

Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...

n plants in the Poaceae grass family.

Etymology

The common name pampas grass, though strictly referring to ''C. selloana'', is frequently applied to all species in the genus (and sometimes also to species of '' Erianthus'' and '' Saccharum ravennae''). The name of the genus is derived from the Argentine Spanish word ''cortadera'', which in turn refers to the sharp serrations on the leaves. '' Cortaderia jubata'' and '' C. rudiuscula'' produce copious seed asexually.

Description

The species of ''Cortaderia'' are imposing tall grasses growing 1.5–3 m tall, with graceful white inflorescence plumes. They are in widespread use as

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...

s. ; Species * ''

Cortaderia araucana ''Cortaderia'' is a genus of South American and Central American plants in the Poaceae grass family. Etymology The common name pampas grass, though strictly referring to ''C. selloana'', is frequently applied to all species in the genus (and som ...

'' Stapf - Chile, Argentina * '' Cortaderia atacamensis'' (Phil.) Pilg. - Chile, Argentina, Bolivia * ''

Cortaderia bifida ''Cortaderia'' is a genus of South American and Central American plants in the Poaceae grass family. Etymology The common name pampas grass, though strictly referring to ''C. selloana'', is frequently applied to all species in the genus (and som ...

'' Pilg. - Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia * ''

Cortaderia boliviensis ''Cortaderia'' is a genus of South American and Central American plants in the Poaceae grass family. Etymology The common name pampas grass, though strictly referring to ''C. selloana'', is frequently applied to all species in the genus (and som ...

'' M.Lyle - Bolivia * '' Cortaderia columbiana'' (Pilg.) Pilg. - Venezuela, Colombia * '' Cortaderia hapalotricha'' (Pilg.) Conert - Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia * '' Cortaderia hieronymi'' (Kuntze) N.P.Barker & H.P.Linder - Bolivia, Peru, Argentina * '' Cortaderia jubata'' (Lemoine ex Carrière) Stapf – Andean pampas grass -

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina; naturalized in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Oregon, California, Hawaii * '' Cortaderia modesta'' (Döll) Hack. ex Dusén - southern Brazil * '' Cortaderia nitida'' (Kunth) Pilg. - Costa Rica, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru * '' Cortaderia peruviana'' (Hitchc.) N.P.Barker & H.P.Linder - Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia * '' Cortaderia pilosa'' (d'Urv.) Hack. - Chile, Argentina,

Falkland Islands The Falkland Islands (; es, Islas Malvinas, link=no ) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about from Cape Dubouze ...

* '' Cortaderia planifolia'' Swallen - Colombia, Peru * '' Cortaderia pungens'' Swallen - Colombia, Peru, Venezuela * '' Cortaderia roraimensis'' (N.E.Br.) Pilg. - Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, northwestern Brazil * ''

Cortaderia rudiuscula ''Cortaderia'' is a genus of South American and Central American plants in the Poaceae Poaceae, grass family. Etymology The common name pampas grass, though strictly referring to ''C. selloana'', is frequently applied to all species in the genus ...

'' Stapf - Andes of Chile, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia * ''

Cortaderia selloana ''Cortaderia selloana'' is a species of flowering plant in the Poaceae family. It is referred to by the common name pampas grass, and is native to southern South America, including the Pampas region after which it is named. Etymology ''Cortade ...

'' (Schult. & Schult.f.) Asch. & Graebn. – pampas grass - Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia; naturalized in parts of northern South America, Mesoamerica, West Indies, southern USA, Australia, New Zealand, Mediterranean Basin, etc. * '' Cortaderia sericantha'' (Steud.) Hitchc. - Colombia, Peru * '' Cortaderia speciosa'' (Nees) Stapf - Chile, Argentina, Bolivia * ''

Cortaderia vaginata ''Cortaderia'' is a genus of South American and Central American plants in the Poaceae grass family. Etymology The common name pampas grass, though strictly referring to ''C. selloana'', is frequently applied to all species in the genus (and som ...

'' Swallen - southern Brazil ; formerly included see ''

Austroderia ''Austroderia'' is a genus of five species of tall grasses native to New Zealand, commonly known as toetoe.

Chionochloa Chusquea

Phragmites ''Phragmites'' () is a genus of four species of large perennial reed grasses found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world. Taxonomy The World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, maintained by Kew Garden in L ...

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q941632 Danthonioideae Bunchgrasses of North America Bunchgrasses of South America Poaceae genera