Derivation
Cortaderia Stapf, Gard. Chron. ser. 3, 22: 396 (1897); from the Argentine native name cortadera (cutting), alluding to the sharp edged leaf blades.

richardii- in honour of Achille Richard (1794–1852). French botanist.

Published in
New Zealand J. Bot. 1: 84 (1963).

Habit
Perennial, tufted. Culms robust, 200–300 cm tall. Mid-culm internodes hollow. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 60–100 cm long, 5–20 mm wide, coriaceous, rigid. Leaf-blade midrib keeled beneath. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Gynodioecious ("male", in this context, indicating the bisexual state) or dioecious.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence compound, a panicle. Panicle open, lanceolate, dense, 30–60 cm long.

Spikelets
Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets many flowered, comprising 1–7 fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the apex, cuneate, laterally compressed, 18–35 mm long, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus evident, pubescent.

Glumes
Glumes similar to each other and to fertile lemma in texture, shiny. Lower glume linear, 18–35 mm long, equalling upper glume, hyaline, 1-nerved. Lower glume lateral nerves absent. Lower glume apex setaceously acuminate. Upper glume linear, 20–35 mm long, 30% of length of adjacent fertile lemma, hyaline, 1-nerved. Upper glume lateral nerves absent. Upper glume apex setaceously acuminate.

Florets
Fertile florets female. Fertile lemma lanceolate, 6–15 mm long, 1–3 mm wide, hyaline, glossy, 3-nerved. Lemma surface villous or plumose. Lemma hairs 6–8 mm long. Lemma apex lobed, 2-fid, with filiform lobes, with lobes 3–7 mm long, attenuate, 1-awned. Median (principal) awn from a sinus, 8–12 mm long overall. Palea linear or oblong, 6–7 mm long, hyaline, 2-nerved. Palea surface glabrous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped. Lodicules 2, cuneate, fleshy, ciliate. Anthers 3, 2–3 mm long. Grain with adherent pericarp, fusiform, 2.5 mm long. Embryo 30% of length of grain. Male inflorescence bisexual similar to female, a panicle. Male spikelets resembling female.

Continental Distribution:
Australasia.

Australian Distribution:
Tasmania: West Coast, Central Highlands.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Danthonioideae: Danthonieae

Notes
In Tasmania, along sandy stream banks. Introduced from New Zealand. Flowers Jan.–Feb.