Cortaderia selloana (Schuff.) Asch. 

 

=C. atacamensis

 

=C. dioica

 

Poaceae (Grass Family)

 

Chile Pampas Grass

 

Sellow’s Pampas Grass  

                            August Photo

 

Plant Characteristics:  Perennial, 2-6 m. tall; lvs. 3-9 mm. wide with tufted hairs at the throat of the sheath, attenuate, usually serrulate on the edges; panicle large, terminal, plumelike; spikelets several flowered; internodes of the rachilla jointed, white to pink, 3-9 dm. long, silky-hairy; spikelets 10-15 mm. long; glumes exceeding lower florets; plant dioecious, the male spikelets covered with long hairs.

 

Habitat:  Disturbed sites below 300 meters, especially along coastal bluffs, Ventura Co. to N. Calif.; southern counties, particularly Orange Co.; commonly cult.  Late summer.

 

Name:  Argentine name, cortedera, cutting, because of the leaf margins.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 959).  Latin, ensis, belonging to. (Jaeger 93).  Atacama, the coastal desert of Chile.  Atacamensis, belonging to the Atacama Desert.  (John Johnson).  Selloana, after Freidrich Sello, later spelled Sellow, 1789-1831, German traveler in South America.  (Bailey 51).

General:  Very common in the study area.  During the period I have been studying plants, I have noted a great increase in the number and size of this species.  The 23rd. St. area is the most impacted.  Photographed at 23rd Street and North Star Beach.  (my comments 1986).   During the past six years I have been spraying Pampas Grass at locations around the Upper Bay and have been able to eradicate several heavy infestations.  The County of Orange cleaned up the 23rd St. area and I have kept the grass under control there since.  In Big Canyon, I killed the bulk of the plants in the lower canyon and they were then taken out by a contractor. After 2002, I stopped spraying around the Upper Bay but hopefully someone younger will take over.  (my comments 2003).   About 5 species of South America.  (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 959).

 

Text Ref:  Hickman, Ed. 247; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 958; Pohl 112; Roberts 46.

Photo Ref:  Dec 3 82 # 18;  Aug 1 86 #17,18.

Identity: by R. De Ruff.

First Found:  December 1982.

 

Computer Ref: Plant Data 58.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 11/26/04.  

 

          August Photo                                                  December Photo