''Cortaderia'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of plants in the

Poaceae Poaceae ( ), also called Gramineae ( ), is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos, the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivate ...

or grass family of plants. All current species included in the ''Cortaderia'' genus are native to South and Central America, ranging from the Patagonia region of southern

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

and

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

, to

Costa Rica Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...

. For many years, five species native to New Zealand were included in the genus, but since 2011 these have been since reclassified into the genus '' Austroderia'' containing only species native to New Zealand.

Etymology

The common name pampas grass, though strictly referring to ''C. selloana'', is frequently applied to all species in the genus, as well as the five former members reclassied into the genus Austroderia (sometimes also to species of '' Erianthus'' and '' Saccharum ravennae''). The name of the genus is derived from the

Argentine Spanish Rioplatense Spanish ( , ), also known as Rioplatense Castilian, or River Plate Spanish, is a variety of SpanishAlvar, Manuel, "''Manual de dialectología hispánica. El español de América''", ("Handbook of Hispanic Dialectology. Spanish Lan ...

word ''cortadera'', which in turn refers to the sharp serrations on the leaves. '' Cortaderia jubata'' and '' C. rudiuscula'' produce copious seed asexually.

Description

Cortaderia species are perennial grasses, characterised by robust culms and feathery inflorescent plumes held high above the foliage.Some species are relatively short, forming rounded hedgehog-like clumps less than 0.5 m tall, but many species, including ''Cortaderia selloana'' and ''Cortaderia jubata'' form wide tussocks, up to 4 m tall. Rhizomes or stolons are rare but some species, particularly the taller species, can form tussocks almost as wide as their height. Across South America, the genus is a major component of the C3 temperate grasslands, from

Tierra del Fuego Tierra del Fuego (, ; Spanish for "Land of Fire", rarely also Fireland in English) is an archipelago off the southernmost tip of the South America, South American mainland, across the Strait of Magellan. The archipelago consists of the main is ...

in the far south, north to Venezuela (with some species extending to Costa Rica). They can be found from the Serro do Mar Atlantic coastal mountains near

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

to the

Andes The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the List of longest mountain chains on Earth, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range ...

Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...

. At the southern extreme, species naturally grow at sea level, and in the Andes, certain species can be found growing up to 4500 m at the equator, where they make up a major component of paramo habitat.

Cultivation

Horticulture

Several species of Cortaderia have been extensively planted in gardens or cultivated landscapes around the world, particularly ''Cortaderia selloana'', having been planted as an ornamental garden plant outside of South America since the 19th century. Many varieties or selections of ''Cortaderia selloana'' are or have been available, including variegated, silver leaved and dwarf varieties. The following varieties have received an Award of Garden Merit (AGM) by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS): 'Silver Feather', 'Pumila', 'Patagonia', 'Montrosa', 'Evita', 'Aureolineata', and 'Sunningdale Silver'.

Non-ornamental uses

''Cortaderia jubata'', and to a lesser extent ''Cortaderia selloana'', can be used as green forage during dry summer months being able to be grazed to 30-50cm of the plant's base and be used as a substitute for hay, with plants having been used in the past for forage in New Zealand and California. Both species have also been used as a means of erosion control and planted as a windbreak and to provide shelter.

As invasive species

''Cortaderia selloana'' and ''Cortaderia jubata'' are considered invasive species in several disjunct parts of the world, capable of forming dense, often impenetrable, stands, and can damage grazing lands, interfere with afforested areas, affect visibility on roads and hinder access to certain natural areas, such as the margins of streams. In parts of the world with high forest or bush fire risk, the build up and slow decomposition of leaf litter and standing dead leaves produce large amounts of flammable material and increase fire-related hazards. In regions where either species is considered invasive, plants are able to rapidly colonize areas, including grassland plains, dunes, sparse shrublands and riverine habitats, particularly those that have been disturbed or altered by humans in the past, such as disused farmland or afforested land. ''Cortaderia selloana'' is considered invasive on the Atlantic coast of Europe across an 'Atlantic arc' ranging from

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, particularly in the Cantabria province of Spain. In California, it is recorded as having colonized land in at least 19 counties. It also occurs in many Micronesian islands, South Africa and Hawaiian islands, being classed as a noxious species in New Zealand and some states of Australia. It is one of the emerging invasive species with the greatest potential range in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, especially in grasslands.Mgidi TN, Maitre DC Le, Schonegevel L, Nel JL, Rouget M, Richardson DM, 2007. Alien plant invasions - incorporating emerging invaders in regional prioritization: a pragmatic approach for Southern Africa. Journal of Environmental Management, 84:173-187. ''Cordateria jubata'', has similarly escaped from cultivation and become problematic especially in Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and parts of the United States. ''C. jubata'' is listed as a noxious weed in California, Hawaii and Oregon, and as a grade 1 invasive species in South Africa.

List of Cortaderia species

;Currently accepted species * '' Cortaderia araucana'' Stapf - Chile, Argentina * '' Cortaderia atacamensis'' (Phil.) Pilg. - Chile, Argentina, Bolivia * '' Cortaderia bifida'' Pilg. - Costa Rica, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia * '' Cortaderia boliviensis'' 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 -

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 (; ), commonly referred to as The Falklands, 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 from Cape Dub ...

* '' Cortaderia planifolia'' Swallen - Colombia, Peru * '' Cortaderia pungens'' Swallen - Colombia, Peru, Venezuela * '' Cortaderia roraimensis'' (N.E.Br.) Pilg. - Guyana, Venezuela, Colombia, northwestern Brazil * '' Cortaderia rudiuscula'' Stapf - Andes of Chile, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia * ''

Cortaderia selloana ''Cortaderia selloana'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Poaceae. 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. It is widely distri ...

'' (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'' Swallen - southern Brazil ; Formerly included species see '' Austroderia Chionochloa Chusquea

Phragmites ''Phragmites'' () is a genus of four species of large perennial plant, perennial reed (plant), reed Poaceae, grasses found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world. Taxonomy The World Checklist of Selected Plant Famili ...

References

External links

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