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''Paspalum'' is a
genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of plants in the
grass family Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns an ...
. The group is widespread across much of
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,
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
, and the
Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America, North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. ...
. Commonly known as paspalum, bahiagrasses, crowngrasses or dallis grasses, many of the species are tall
perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also widel ...
New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. ...
grasses. They are warm-season C4 grasses and are most diverse in
subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical and climate zones to the north and south of the tropics. Geographically part of the temperate zones of both hemispheres, they cover the middle latitudes from to approximately 35° north a ...
and
tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...
regions. ''
Paspalum scrobiculatum ''Paspalum scrobiculatum'', commonly called Kodo millet or Koda millet,A. E. Grant (1898), "Poisonous Koda millet". Letter to ''Nature'', volume 57, page 271.Harry Nelson Vinall(1917), ''Foxtail Millet: Its Culture and Utilization in the United S ...
'' (''koda'', ''varuka'', ''varuku'', etc.) is a
millet Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most species generally referred to as millets belong to the tribe Paniceae, but some millets a ...
locally grown as food
grain A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit ( caryopsis) – with or without an attached hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and legum ...
. Some
species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriat ...
, such as
bahiagrass ''Paspalum notatum'', known commonly as bahiagrass, common bahia, and Pensacola bahia, is a tropical to subtropical perennial grass (family Poaceae). It is known for its prominent V-shaped inflorescence consisting of two spike-like racemes contai ...
(''P. notatum'') and '' P. nicorae'', are grown for pasturage, especially with the perennial forage peanut (''Arachis glabrata'') as a companion crop. Bahiagrass has also some significance as a honey plant. Water finger-grass (''P. vaginatum'') resembles
bermudagrass ''Cynodon dactylon'', commonly known as Bermuda grass, is a grass found worldwide. It is native to Europe, Africa, Australia and much of Asia. It has been introduced to the Americas. Although it is not native to Bermuda, it is an abundant invasi ...
(''Cynodon dactylon''), but has a higher
salinity Salinity () is the saltiness or amount of salt (chemistry), salt dissolved in a body of water, called saline water (see also soil salinity). It is usually measured in g/L or g/kg (grams of salt per liter/kilogram of water; the latter is dimensio ...
tolerance and can consume
greywater Greywater (or grey water, sullage, also spelled gray water in the United States) refers to domestic wastewater generated in households or office buildings from streams without fecal contamination, i.e., all streams except for the wastewater fro ...
. It is not infrequently used for
arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectator ...
and
golf course A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". ...
turf in warmer coastal regions, such as
Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...
,
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...
,
Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...
,
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
and
Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
. Dedicated paspalum
cultivar A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...
s such as 'Aloha Seashore' or 'Platinum TE' have been produced for such uses. Paspalums are also food for
caterpillar Caterpillars ( ) are the larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterflies and moths). As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawflies (suborder Sy ...
s of
lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order of insects that includes butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 families and 46 superfamilies, 10 percent of the total described speci ...
ns such as the
pasture day moth The pasture day moth (''Apina callisto'') is a species in the moth family Noctuidae which is active during the day, as its common name implies, making it unlike most other noctuid species. It is found in most southern areas of Australia, rangin ...
(''Apina callisto''), and those of the dark palm dart (''Telicota ancilla'') which feed on '' P. urvillei''. Granivorous
bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
s often eat paspalum seeds; the chestnut-breasted munia (''Lonchura castaneothorax'') readily feeds on the seeds of '' P. longifolium'', for example. The
ergot Ergot ( ) or ergot fungi refers to a group of fungi of the genus ''Claviceps''. The most prominent member of this group is '' Claviceps purpurea'' ("rye ergot fungus"). This fungus grows on rye and related plants, and produces alkaloids that c ...
'' Claviceps paspali'' is a
sac fungus Ascomycota is a phylum of the kingdom Fungi that, together with the Basidiomycota, forms the subkingdom Dikarya. Its members are commonly known as the sac fungi or ascomycetes. It is the largest phylum of Fungi, with over 64,000 species. The de ...
that grows on ''Paspalum'', producing ergot alkaloids and the tremorgen paspalitrem; it causes "paspalum staggers" poisoning in
cattle Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus '' Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ...
. Tussock paspalum (''P. quadrifarium'') is considered a weed in Australia.AWC (2008)
Minute Maid Park Minute Maid Park is a retractable roof stadium in Houston, Texas, United States. It opened in 2000 as the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Houston Astros. It has a seating capacity of 41,168, which includes 5,197 club seats and 63 ...
the home
ballpark A ballpark, or baseball park, is a type of sports venue where baseball is played. The playing field is divided into the infield, an area whose dimensions are rigidly defined, and the outfield, where dimensions can vary widely from place to pla ...
of the
Houston Astros The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after s ...
has Platinum TE Paspalum as its field surface.


Selected species

* '' Paspalum azuayense'' * '' Paspalum arundinaceum'' * '' Paspalum bakeri'' * '' Paspalum batianoffii'' * '' Paspalum blodgettii'' * '' Paspalum boscianum'' * '' Paspalum caespitosum'' * '' Paspalum ceresia'' * '' Paspalum clavuliferum'' * ''
Paspalum conjugatum ''Paspalum conjugatum'', commonly known as carabao grass or hilo grass, is a tropical to subtropical perennial grass. It is originally from the American tropics, but has been naturalized widely in tropical Southeast Asia and Pacific Islands. It h ...
'' P.J.Bergius – carabao grass, hilo grass * '' Paspalum convexum'' * '' Paspalum decumbens'' * '' Paspalum densum'' * '' Paspalum dilatatum'' – dallis grass * '' Paspalum dispar'' * '' Paspalum distichum'' * '' Paspalum fasciculatum'' * '' Paspalum fimbriatum'' * '' Paspalum floridanum'' * '' Paspalum fluitans'' * '' Paspalum geminatum'' * '' Paspalum longifolium'' * '' Paspalum laeve'' Michx. – smooth paspalum * '' Paspalum laxum'' * '' Paspalum longifolium'' * '' Paspalum longum'' * '' Paspalum macrophyllum'' * '' Paspalum mandiocanum '' * ''
Paspalum maritimum ''Paspalum'' is a genus of plants in the grass family. The group is widespread across much of Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas. Commonly known as paspalum, bahiagrasses, crowngrasses or dallis grasses, many of the species are tall pe ...
'' * ''
Paspalum millegrana ''Paspalum'' is a genus of plants in the Poaceae, grass family. The group is widespread across much of Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas. Commonly known as paspalum, bahiagrasses, crowngrasses or dallis grasses, many of the species are ...
'' * '' Paspalum minus'' * '' Paspalum molle'' * ''
Paspalum nicorae ''Paspalum'' is a genus of plants in the grass family. The group is widespread across much of Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas. Commonly known as paspalum, bahiagrasses, crowngrasses or dallis grasses, many of the species are tall per ...
'' * '' Paspalum notatum'' – bahiagrass, Pensacola bahiagrass * '' Paspalum orbiculare'' G.Forst. * '' Paspalum orbiculatum'' Poir. * '' Paspalum paniculatum'' L. * '' Paspalum parviflorum'' * '' Paspalum paucispicatum'' * '' Paspalum peckii'' * '' Paspalum pleostachyum'' * '' Paspalum plicatulum'' – brownseed paspalum * ''
Paspalum pulchellum ''Paspalum'' is a genus of plants in the grass family. The group is widespread across much of Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas. Commonly known as paspalum, bahiagrasses, crowngrasses or dallis grasses, many of the species are tall pe ...
'' * '' Paspalum pubiflorum'' * '' Paspalum quadrifarium'' – tussock paspalum * ''
Paspalum repens ''Paspalum repens'', known as horsetail paspalum or water paspalum, is a species of grass native to South America, Central America, and North America. It is often called ''Paspalum fluitans'', though this name is treated as a synonym of ''P. repe ...
'' * '' Paspalum rugulosum'' * '' Paspalum rupestre'' * '' Paspalum schesslii'' * ''
Paspalum scrobiculatum ''Paspalum scrobiculatum'', commonly called Kodo millet or Koda millet,A. E. Grant (1898), "Poisonous Koda millet". Letter to ''Nature'', volume 57, page 271.Harry Nelson Vinall(1917), ''Foxtail Millet: Its Culture and Utilization in the United S ...
'' – koda millet, kodo millet, kodra millet, ''varuka'' (
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural diffusion ...
), ''varuku'' (
Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia ** Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, na ...
) * '' Paspalum secans'' * '' Paspalum setaceum'' – slender paspalum * '' Paspalum soboliferum'' * ''
Paspalum urvillei ''Paspalum urvillei'' is a species of grass known by the common name Vasey's grass, or Vaseygrass. It is native to South America, and it is known in parts of North America as an introduced species. It is also naturalised in Australia, New Zealand ...
'' * '' Paspalum vaginatum'' Sw. (syn. ''P. distichum'', ''P. littorale'') – water finger-grass * '' Paspalum virgatum'' * '' Paspalum wullschlaegelii''


Formerly placed here

* ''
Axonopus compressus ''Axonopus compressus'' (syn. ''Axonopus compressus'' (Sw.) P.Beauv. var. ''australis'' G.A.Black, ''Milium compressum'' Sw., ''Paspalum compressum'' (Sw.) Nees, ''Paspalum platycaule'' Willd. ex Steud., ''Paspalum platycaulon'' Poir.) is a speci ...
'' (broad-leaved carpetgrass), as ''P. compressum'', ''P. platycaule'', ''P. platycaulon'' * ''
Axonopus fissifolius ''Axonopus fissifolius'' is a grass species which is often used as permanent pasture Pasture (from the Latin ''pastus'', past participle of ''pascere'', "to feed") is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tract ...
'' (narrow-leaved carpetgrass), as ''P. fissifolium'' * '' Digitaria exilis'' (fonio), as ''P. exile''


References

* (2008): Noxious Weed List for Australian States and Territories. Version 18.00, September 2008
PDF fulltext
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2333069 Poaceae genera Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus