 "Themeda triandra" was first formally described in 1775 by Peter Forsskål who published the description in "Flora Aegyptiaco-Arabica".There are many synonyms of this species.The specific epithet ("triandra") is the feminine of the Botanical Latin adjective "triandrus", meaning 'with three stamens', based on the Greek-derived combining forms "tri-", three, and "-andrus", male.