Austroderia richardii
| Austroderia | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| (unranked): | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Subfamily: | Danthonioideae |
| Tribe: | Danthonieae |
| Genus: | Austroderia |
| Species: | A. richardii |
| Binomial name | |
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Austroderia richardii (Endl.) N.P.Barker et H.P.Linder |
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Austroderia richardii, syn. Cortaderia richardii, is a species of flowering plant in the family Poaceae. The genus Austroderia is often called "pampas grass", though this name usually refers to A. selloana. "Early pampas-grass" is a more specific name. The name "tussock grass" may also be found. The Maori name is "toetoe".
Species description - Austroderia richardii are large sized grasses that can grow to around 1.5 to 3m tall. Its leaves are sharp edged from 1m long and around 2 to 5 cm wide. Because of its fine, sharp teeth along the edges of the leaves it is often referred to as ‘cutty grass’. Its leaves are coarse, green, flat and narrow with upright flowering culms 2.5m tall (Kimberley, 2011). Culms are the hollow stem of the flowering grass plant. These high culms are the main identifying feature of the Austroderia richardii as they have great arching, dense, silvery plumes at the top of the culms which makes them very elegant and stand out from other Austroderia (Kimberley, 2011). The flower head is usually one-sided and drooping. The flower head has many fine hanging branches which contain numerous small clusters of flowers encased in soft, hairy scales. The pulmes appear to be a creamy buff to yellowish colour and grow to around 30–60 cm in length and have a loose/open appearance. This is what gives the Austroderia richardii its distinctive thick, soft, plume-like look from its flowering heads. The leaves of the plant have multiple prominent veins running down either side of the middle of the leaf This makes them a lot tougher and stronger compared to the introduced pampas grass which looks very similar but this is one way of identifying the difference.
Austroderia richardii is one of 5 species in the genus Austroderia that are endemic to New Zealand. It occurs in the South Island and possibly also in the North Island. It is also an introduced species in Tasmania, Australia.
It is an evergreen perennial grass, widely cultivated in temperate regions for its plumes of silvery white inflorescences that appear in summer and last until well into winter, and grow to 60 cm (24 in). Like its relatives it is much used in dried flower arrangements. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
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Wikipedia