Description:

• Perennial, bisexual or gynodioecious, tufted, tall tussocks up to 4 m tall
• Leaf blade disarticulating from sheaths; ligule a fringe of hairs
• Inflorescence a large, open, plumose panicle, 400-800 mm long, with many spikelets; spikelets pedicelled, either bisexual or female, spikelets all alike in sexuality on same plant
• Spikelet 10-18 mm long; laterally compressed, disarticulating above glumes; glumes ± equal, shorter to as long as spikelet, narrow, hyaline, similar, glabrous, 1(3)-nerved, awnless
• Florets 1-7, depending on sex of spikelet; lemma similar to firmer in texture to glumes, hyaline or membranous, not becoming indurated, 7-9-nerved, glabrous or hairy, hairs long and fine, reaching from base to apex of body of lemma, entire, awn-like, awnless; callus long, pointed, hairy; palea glabrous, relatively long
• Lodicules 2, fleshy, ciliate
• Stamens 3, or 0 or minute in female spikelets of dioecious plants
• Ovary glabrous
• x = 9 (high polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

• *Cortaderia Stapf
  • Stapf: 378 (1897) name conserved
  • Robinson: 343 (1984)
  • Clayton & Renvoize: 180 (1986)
  • Gibbs Russell et al.: 90 (1990)
  • Watson & Dallwitz: 263 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: 24, mainly South America, also in New Zealand and New Guinea
• Southern Africa: Species 2, cultivated and as escapes, southern regions of northern provinces of South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, Western and Eastern Cape