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.[6]Cortaderia jubata and C. rudiuscula produce copious seed
asexually.[citation needed]
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 plants.
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 of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina; naturalized in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Oregon, California, Hawaii
Cortaderia selloana (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.
^"Genus: Cortaderia Stapf". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2007-10-05. Archived from
the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2011-02-26.