Panicum

Panicum
P. virgatum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Monocots
Clade:	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Poaceae
Subfamily:	Panicoideae
Supertribe:	Panicodae
Tribe:	Paniceae
Subtribe:	Panicinae
Genus:	Panicum L.
Synonyms [1]
AconisiaJ.R.Grande ArthragrostisLazarides ChaseaNieuwl. EatoniaRaf. EriolytrumDesv. ex Kunth, not validly publ. MonachneP.Beauv. Phanopyrum(Raf.) Nash PolyneuraPeter 1930, illegitimate homonym not Kylin 1924 PsilochloaLaunert TalasiumSpreng. YakirraLazarides & R.D.Webster

Panicum (panicgrass) ^[2] is a large genus of about 250 species of grasses mostly native to tropical regions.

Description

The flowers are produced in a well-developed panicle often up to 60 cm (24 in) in length with numerous seeds, which are 1–6 mm (0.04–0.24 in) long and 1–2 mm (0.04–0.08 in) broad. The fruits are developed from a two-flowered spikelet. Only the upper floret of each spikelet is fertile; the lower floret is sterile or staminate. Both glumes are present and well developed. ^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]}

Taxonomy

Phylogenetic studies found the genus as previously circumscribed was polyphyletic, and several species have been reassigned to other genera. Most species in section Stolonifera of subgenus Phanopyrum were transferred to Ocellochloa , while P. venezuelae was placed in the new monotypic genus Drakkaria . ^[9]

Well-known species include P. miliaceum (proso millet) and P. virgatum (switchgrass).

Selected species

See also: List of Panicum species

• Panicum amarum Elliott – bitter panicum (North America)
• Panicum capillare L. – witchgrass, tumbleweed ^[10] (North America)
• Panicum coloratum L. – kleingrass, coolah grass, Bambatsi panic (Africa)
• Panicum decompositum R.Br. – native millet (Australia)
• Panicum dichotomiflorum Michx. – fall panicgrass (North America)
• Panicum effusum R.Br. – hairy panic (Australia, New Guinea)
• Panicum fauriei Hitchc. – Faurie's panicgrass (endemic to Hawai'i)
• Panicum flexile (Gattinger) Scribn. – wiry panicgrass (eastern North America)
• Panicum hallii Vasey – Hall's panicgrass (North America)
• Panicum havardii Vasey – Havard's panicgrass (North America)
• Panicum hemitomon Schult. – maidencane (Americas)
• Panicum hillmanii Chase – Hillmann's panicgrass (North America)
• Panicum hirticaule J.Presl – Mexican panicgrass (Americas)
• Panicum lycopodioides Bory ex Nees – false club-moss panic grass (Réunion)
• Panicum miliaceum L. – proso millet, common millet (domesticated)
• Panicum niihauense H.St.John – lau 'ehu (endemic to Hawai'i)
• Panicum queenslandicum Domin
• Panicum repens L. – torpedo grass (widely introduced)
• Panicum rigidum Balf.f. (endemic to Socotra)
• Panicum simile Domin – two colour panic (Australia)
• Panicum socotranum Cope (endemic to Socotra)
• Panicum sumatrense Roth – little millet (Asia)
• Panicum turgidum Forssk. – afezu (Africa, Asia)
• Panicum urvilleanum Kunth – desert panicgrass (North America)
• Panicum virgatum L. – switchgrass (North America)

Formerly placed here

Species formerly classified in genus Panicum include:

• Acostia gracilis , as Panicum acostiaR.D.Webster
• Cnidochloa longipedicellata (Swallen) Zuloaga, as Panicum longipedicellatumSwallen
• Coleataenia abscissa (Swallen) LeBlond, as Panicum abscissumSwallen
• Coleataenia anceps (Michx.) Soreng, as Panicum ancepsMichx.
• Drakkaria venezuelae (Hack.) C.Silva & Zuloaga, as Panicum venezuelaeHack.
• Echinochloa colona , as Panicum colonumL. – jungle rice
• Echinochloa crus-galli , as Panicum crus-galliL. – barnyard grass
• Hopia obtusa (Kunth) Zuloaga & Morrone, as Panicum obtusumKunth – vine mesquite grass
• Janochloa antidotalis (Retz.) Zuloaga & Delfini, as Panicum antidotaleRetz. – blue panicum
• Megathyrsus maximus (Jacq.) B.K.Simon & S.W.L.Jacobs, as Panicum maximumJacq. – Guinea grass or buffalo grass
• Stolonochloa pygmaea (R.Br.) E.J.Thomps., as Panicum pygmaeumR.Br. – Australian native dwarf panicum or rainforest panicum
• Urochloa panicoides , as Panicum helopusTrin. – annual signal grass

Distribution

The genus is native throughout the tropical regions of the world, with a few species extending into the northern temperate zone. ^[1] They are often large, annual or perennial grasses, growing to 1–3 m (3–10 ft) tall. ^{[11] [12]}

Australia has 29 native and 9 introduced species of Panicum. ^{[13] [14] [15]}

Gallery

• 
  P. capillare
• 
  P. lycopodioides
• 
  P. miliaceum (Proso)
• 
  P. phragmitoides
• 
  P. repens
• 
  P. torridum
• 
  P. xerophyllum
• 
  P. trichoides

References

1. "Panicum L." Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 2 June 2025.
2. NRCS. "Panicum". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 15 May 2015.
3. Flora of China Vol. 22 Page 504 黍属 shu shu Panicum Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 55. 1753.
4. Flora of Pakistan
5. Altervista Flora Italiana, genere Panicum includes photos and distribution maps of several species
6. Biota of North America Program 2013 county distribution maps
7. Valdés-Reyna, J., F. O. Zuloaga, O. Morrone & L. Aragón Melchor. 2009. "El género Panicum (Poaceae: Panicoideae) en el noreste de México". Boletín de la Sociedad Botánica de México 84: 59–82.
8. Morrone, O., A. M. Antón & F. O. Zuloaga. 1995. "Axonopus". Flora Fanerogámica Argentina . 19(1): 11–16
9. Christian Silva, Júlia da Costa Hillmann, Juan Manuel Acosta, Reyjane Patrícia Oliveira, Fernando Omar Zuloaga, One more step into the resolution of Panicum (Poaceae) polyphyly: Drakkaria, a new segregate genus from neotropical Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, Volume 207, Issue 3, March 2025, Pages 208–224, https://doi.org/10.1093/botlinnean/boae044
10. • Britton, Nathaniel; Brown, Addison (1896). An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions From Newfoundland to the Parallel of the Southern Boundary of Virginia, and from the Atlantic Ocean Westward to the 102d Meridian. Vol. I, Ophioglossaceae to Aizoaceae. Charles Scribner's Sons. pp.  612. page 123
11. Freckmann, R. W. & M. G. Lelong. 2002. Nomenclatural changes and innovations in Panicum and Dichanthelium (Poaceae: Paniceae). Sida 20(1): 161–174
12. Valdes, B. & H. Scholz. 2006. "The Euro+Med treatment of Gramineae - a generic synopsis and some new names". Willdenowia 36(2): 657–669
13. Grasses of the Tweed Valley of NSW: An introductory field guide to locally common grasses: native and introduced, compiled by Penny Watsford, Nullum Publications, 2004 ISBN   0-9756823-0-X)
14. Ausgrass2, Grasses of Australia
15. "Atlas of Living Australia". Atlas of Living Australia. Archived from the original on 2016-05-27. Retrieved 2015-02-02.

External links

• Interactive Key to Panicum of North America