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

Zambia: 61 taxa.

Insects associated with this genus:
Achaea echo (Echo moth) Food plant
Borbo fatuellus (Long-horned swift) Larval foodplant
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Links to taxa:     View: living plant images - herbarium specimen images - all images for this genus

SpeciesFZ divisionsContent
adenophorum K.Schum. N
atrosanguineum A. Rich.N,SDescription
brazzavillense Franch.B,N,W,CDescription
brevifolium L.SDescription
bullockii Renvoize [LR-lc]N
carneovaginatum Renvoize N,W,S
chambeshii RenvoizeNDescription
chionachne Mez N,WDescription, Image
claytonii Renvoize N,W,E
coloratum L. var. coloratum N,SDescription
comorense Mez E
delicatulum Fig. & de Not.NDescription, Image
deustum Thunb.C,SDescription
dregeanum NeesN,W,C,E,SDescription, Image
ecklonii NeesN,WDescription
ephemerum Renvoize W
flacciflorum Stapf N
fluviicola Steud.N,W,EDescription
funaense Vanderyst B,N
glandulopaniculatum RenvoizeNDescription
gracilicaule RendleN,W,C,E,SDescription
graciliflorum Rendle C,E
graniflorum StapfB,W,SDescription
habrothrix Renvoize W
hanningtonii Stapf E
haplocaulos Pilg.N,SDescription
heterostachyum Hack.B,N,W,C,E,SDescription, Image
hirtum Lam.
hymeniochilum NeesNDescription
infestum Andersson ex PetersNDescription
kalaharense MezDescription
lindleyanum Steud. N,W,C
lukwangulense Pilg.
madipirense MezB,N,C,E,SDescription
margaritiferum (Chiov.) Robyns N,W
massaiense Mez C,E
maximum Jacq.C,E,SDescription, Image
merkeri MezC,SDescription
mlahiense Renvoize N
natalense Hochst.B,WDescription
nervatum (Franch.) StapfN,C,SDescription
nigromarginatum Robyns N,W,SDescription
novemnerve StapfCDescription
pansum Rendle N
parvifolium Lam. B,N,C
pectinellum Stapf N,W,C
perangustatum Renvoize [DD]N
phippsii Renvoize [DD]N
phragmitoides StapfNDescription
pole-evansii C.E. Hubb.N
porphyrrhizos Steud.C,E,SDescription
pseudoracemosum Renvoize [LR-lc]N,W
repens L.B,N,W,SDescription
repentellum NapperC,SDescription
sadinii (Vanderyst) Renvoize N,W
subalbidum KunthB,N,E,SDescription, Image
trichocladum Hack. ex K. Schum.CDescription
trichoides Sw.SDescription
trichonode Launert & RenvoizeB,W,SDescription
walense Mez N,E,S
zambesiense RenvoizeC,SDescription

Other sources of information about Panicum:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Panicum
Flora of Burundi: Panicum
Flora of Caprivi: Panicum
Flora of Malawi: Panicum
Flora of Mozambique: Panicum
Flora of Rwanda: Panicum
Flora of Zimbabwe: 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: Mike Bingham, Annette Willemen, Nicholas Wightman, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Mark Hyde, 2011-25

Bingham, M.G., Willemen, A., Wightman, N., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. and Hyde, M.A. (2025). Flora of Zambia: Genus page: Panicum.
https://www.zambiaflora.com/speciesdata/genus.php?genus_id=191, retrieved 2 April 2025

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