G.455. Panicum L.

Description of the genus

Annuals or perennials. Leaves: lamina variable, from linear to ovate. Inflorescence a panicle, usually much branched, but occasionally ± contracted about the primary branches. Spikelets dorsally flattened, rarely slightly gibbous; lower glume usually shorter than (rarely equal to) the spikelet; upper glume as long as, the spikelet, often with a stipe-like internode between the glumes; lower floret male or barren; its lower lemma resembling the upper glume; upper lemma crustaceous; margin involute and clasping only the edges of the palea. A generally recognisable genus but the following could be confused with it: Brachiaria deflexa, Eriochloa meyeriana, Tricholaena monachne.

Worldwide: 500 species or more in tropical and warm temperate zones

Zimbabwe: 46 taxa.

Insects associated with this genus:
Achaea echo (Echo moth) Food plant
Borbo fatuellus (Long-horned swift) Larval foodplant
Panicum maximum

Links to taxa:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this genus

SpeciesFZ divisionsContent
arcurameum StapfN,W,C,E,SDescription
atrosanguineum A. Rich.N,W,SDescription
bechuanense Bremek. & Oberm.WDescription
brazzavillense Franch.C,EDescription
brevifolium L.EDescription
chambeshii RenvoizeNDescription
coloratum L. var. coloratum N,W,C,E,SDescription
deustum Thunb.N,C,E,SDescription
dregeanum NeesN,W,C,E,SDescription, Image
ecklonii NeesEDescription
eickii MezEDescription
fluviicola Steud.N,WDescription
gilvum LaunertDescription
glandulopaniculatum RenvoizeEDescription
gracilicaule RendleNDescription
graniflorum StapfN,WDescription
haplocaulos Pilg.WDescription
heterostachyum Hack.N,W,C,E,SDescription, Image
hymeniochilum NeesE,SDescription
inaequilatum Stapf & C.E. Hubb.EDescription
infestum Andersson ex PetersC,E,SDescription
kalaharense MezN,W,SDescription
kasumense Renvoize[End]WDescription
laticomum NeesE,SDescription
madipirense MezNDescription
maximum Jacq.N,W,C,E,SDescription, Image
merkeri MezWDescription
miliaceum L.N,CDescription
monticola Hook. f.EDescription, Image
natalense Hochst.N,C,E,SDescription
nervatum (Franch.) StapfEDescription
novemnerve StapfN,W,C,E,SDescription
peteri Pilg.EDescription
phragmitoides StapfW,EDescription
poaeoides StapfWDescription
porphyrrhizos Steud.N,W,CDescription
repens L.N,W,C,SDescription
repentellum NapperN,CDescription
sabiense Renvoize[End]N,C,E,SDescription
schinzii Hack.N,C,E,SDescription
subalbidum KunthN,W,C,E,SDescription, Image
trichocladum Hack. ex K. Schum.EDescription
trichoides Sw.N,CDescription
trichonode Launert & RenvoizeN,W,C,E,SDescription
wiehei RenvoizeEDescription
zambesiense RenvoizeN,WDescription

Other sources of information about Panicum:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Panicum
Flora of Caprivi: Panicum
Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Panicum
Flora of Malawi: Panicum
Flora of Mozambique: Panicum
Flora of Zambia: Panicum
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Panicum

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Panicum
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Panicum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Panicum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Panicum
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Panicum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Panicum
JSTOR Plant Science: Panicum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Panicum
Plants of the World Online: Panicum
Tropicos: Panicum
Wikipedia: Panicum

Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Genus page: Panicum.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/genus.php?genus_id=191, retrieved 20 April 2024

Site software last modified: 12 October 2020 10:31pm (GMT +2)
Terms of use