Taxon: Panicum capillare L.

Summary

Genus:

Panicum

Family:

Poaceae (alt. Gramineae)

Subfamily:

Panicoideae

Tribe:

Paniceae

Subtribe:

Panicinae

Nomen number:

26459

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 1:58. 1753

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

10/01/1990 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

9 (1 active, 1 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Autonym(s)
Panicum capillare L. var. capillare

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Panicum barbipulvinatum Nash
Panicum capillare L. var. occidentale Rydb.

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)

Links

Spikelets and/or florets – Seed ID Workshop image, from Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio State University

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Aliscioni, S. S. et al. 2003. A molecular phylogeny of Panicum (Poaceae: Paniceae): tests of monophyly and phylogenetic placement within the Panicoideae. Amer. J. Bot. 90:796-821. Note: mentions as a member of sect. Panicum
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: four books on weeds worldwide in scope
Clements, D. R. et al. 2004. The biology of Canadian weeds. 127. Panicum capillare L. Canad. J. Pl. Sci. 84:327-341.
Correll, D. S. & M. C. Johnston. 1970. Manual of the vascular plants of Texas
Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 43.
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
Gould, F. W. 1975. The grasses of Texas
Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Hitchcock, A. S. 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States, ed. 2.
Holm, L. et al. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds Note: serious in India
Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Howell, C. J. & J. W. D. Sawyer. 2006. New Zealand naturalised vascular plant checklist
Hunt, H. V. et al. 2014. Reticulate evolution in Panicum (Poaceae): the origin of tetraploid broomcorn millet, P. miliaceum. J. Exp. Bot. 65:3165-3175. DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eru161.
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares. Note: naturalized
Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
McGregor, R. L. et al. (The Great Plains Flora Association). 1986. Flora of the Great Plains.
Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
Randall, R. P. 2007. The introduced flora of Australia and its weed status.
Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
Skvortsov, A. K., ed. 2016. Flora of the Lower Volga region 1:131.
Triplett, J. K. et al. 2012. Five nuclear loci resolve the polyploid history of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and relatives. PLoS One 7(6): e38702. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0038702. Note: a diploid, 2n=18
Ugarte, E. et al. 2011. Vascular alien flora, Chile. Check List 7:365-380.
Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:851. DOI: 10.1016/j.mb.2016.06.017.
Washburn, J. D. et al. 2015. Phylogeny and photosynthesis of the grass tribe Paniceae. Amer. J. Bot. 102:1493-1505. Note: Panicum capillare was one of five species of section Panicum representing subtribe Panicinae
Zuloaga, F. O. & O. Morrone. 1996. Revisión de las especies americanas de Panicum, subgénero Panicum, sección Panicum (Poaceae: Panicoideae: Paniceae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 83:233-235.
Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 2003. Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae): III. Subfamilies Panicoideae, Aristidoideae, Arundinoideae, and Danthonioideae. Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 46:324.
Zuloaga, F. O. 1989. El género Panicum (Poaceae: Paniceae) en la República Argentina. III. Darwiniana 29:315-316.

Common names

Language	Name	note	seq	Citation
English	old-witch grass		1	Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.
English	witchgrass		1	Hitchcock, A. S. 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States, ed. 2.
English	witchgrass panic		1	Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
English (Canada)	witch grass	Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada official name	2	Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 43.
French	panic capillaire		2	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
French (Canada)	panic capillaire	Agriculture & Agroalimentaire Canada nom officiel	2	Darbyshire, S. J. 2003. Inventory of Canadian Agricultural Weeds Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 43.
Portuguese (Brazil)	capim-mimoso		2	Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)	pânico-capilare		2	Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Swedish	buketthirs		2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Russian Federation	Saratov		Skvortsov, A. K., ed. 2016. Flora of the Lower Volga region 1:131.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Russian Federation	Volgogradskaja oblast'		Skvortsov, A. K., ed. 2016. Flora of the Lower Volga region 1:131.
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	New Brunswick		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Nova Scotia		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Ontario		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Prince Edward Island		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Québec		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Illinois		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Iowa		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Kansas		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Minnesota		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Missouri		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Nebraska		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	North Dakota		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Oklahoma		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	South Dakota		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Wisconsin		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Connecticut		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Indiana		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Maine		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Massachusetts		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Michigan		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New Hampshire		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New Jersey		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New York		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Ohio		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Pennsylvania		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Rhode Island		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Vermont		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	West Virginia		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Baja California (Norte)		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:851. DOI: 10.1016/j.mb.2016.06.017.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Baja California Sur		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:851. DOI: 10.1016/j.mb.2016.06.017.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Coahuila de Zaragoza		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:851. DOI: 10.1016/j.mb.2016.06.017.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Nuevo León		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:851. DOI: 10.1016/j.mb.2016.06.017.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	San Luis Potosí		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:851. DOI: 10.1016/j.mb.2016.06.017.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sonora		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:851. DOI: 10.1016/j.mb.2016.06.017.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Tamaulipas		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:851. DOI: 10.1016/j.mb.2016.06.017.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Colorado		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Idaho		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Montana		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Oregon		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Washington		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Wyoming		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	New Mexico		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	Texas		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Alabama		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Arkansas		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Delaware		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida	n. (Leon Co.)	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Georgia	n.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Kentucky		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Louisiana		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Maryland		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Mississippi		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	North Carolina		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	South Carolina		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Tennessee		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Virginia		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	México		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:851. DOI: 10.1016/j.mb.2016.06.017.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Michoacán de Ocampo		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:851. DOI: 10.1016/j.mb.2016.06.017.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave		Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:851. DOI: 10.1016/j.mb.2016.06.017.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	Arizona		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	California		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	Nevada		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	Utah		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	Alberta		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	British Columbia		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	Manitoba		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	Saskatchewan		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Cuba			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	Jamaica			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
1	Native	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Virgin Islands, U.S.		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia	New South Wales		George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia	South Australia	s.e.	George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Tasmania		George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Victoria		George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Western Australia	s.w.	George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	New Zealand	New Zealand			Howell, C. J. & J. W. D. Sawyer. 2006. New Zealand naturalised vascular plant checklist
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil			Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Chile			Ugarte, E. et al. 2011. Vascular alien flora, Chile. Check List 7:365-380.

Native
Europe

EASTERN EUROPE: Russian Federation [Saratov, Volgogradskaja oblast']

Northern America

EASTERN CANADA: Canada [Québec, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick]
WESTERN CANADA: Canada [Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia]
NORTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia]
NORTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wisconsin]
NORTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming]
SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida (n. (Leon Co.)), Georgia (n.), Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia]
SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [New Mexico, Texas]
SOUTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah]
NORTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Coahuila de Zaragoza, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sonora, Tamaulipas, Baja California (Norte), Baja California Sur]
SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [México, Michoacán de Ocampo, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave]

Southern America

CARIBBEAN: Cuba, Jamaica, United States [Virgin Islands, U.S.]

Naturalized
Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia [Tasmania, New South Wales, South Australia (s.e.), Victoria, Western Australia (s.w.)]
NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand

Southern America

BRAZIL: Brazil
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Chile

Reference(s)

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
Howell, C. J. & J. W. D. Sawyer. 2006. New Zealand naturalised vascular plant checklist
Skvortsov, A. K., ed. 2016. Flora of the Lower Volga region 1:131.
Ugarte, E. et al. 2011. Vascular alien flora, Chile. Check List 7:365-380.
Villaseñor, J. L. 2016. Checklist of the native vascular plants of Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodivers. 87:851. DOI: 10.1016/j.mb.2016.06.017.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: four books on weeds worldwide in scope

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=26459. Accessed 17 April 2026.