Taxon: Megathyrsus maximus (Jacq.) B. K. Simon & S. W. L. Jacobs

Summary

Genus:

Megathyrsus

Family:

Poaceae (alt. Gramineae)

Subfamily:

Panicoideae

Tribe:

Paniceae

Subtribe:

Melinidinae

Nomen number:

447623

Place of publication:

Austrobaileya 6:572. 2003

Verified:

01/05/2005 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

437 (281 active, 249 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Megathyrsus maximus (Jacq.) B. K. Simon & S. W. L. Jacobs var. coloratus (C. T. White) B. K. Simon & S. W. L. Jacobs (0 active accession[s])
Megathyrsus maximus (Jacq.) B. K. Simon & S. W. L. Jacobs var. maximus (0 active accession[s])
Megathyrsus maximus (Jacq.) B. K. Simon & S. W. L. Jacobs var. pubiglumis (K. Schum.) B. K. Simon & S. W. L. Jacobs (0 active accession[s])

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

Basionym
Panicum maximum Jacq.

Homotypic Synonym(s)
Panicum maximum Jacq. var. maximum
Urochloa maxima (Jacq.) R. D. Webster

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Panicum hirsutissimum Steud.
Panicum maximum Jacq. var. hirsutissimum (Steud.) Oliv.
Panicum maximum Jacq. var. trichoglume Robyns

No images

Links

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

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae) (on-line resource).
Plants of southern Africa: an online checklist. Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Barbosa de Sousa, A. C. et al. 2011. Molecular diversity and genetic structure of Guineagrass (Panicum maximum Jacq.), a tropical pasture grass. Trop. Pl. Biol. 4:185-202. Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
Giraldo-Cañas, D. 2011. Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en Colombia. Darwiniana 49:139-247.
Howell, C. J. & J. W. D. Sawyer. 2006. New Zealand naturalised vascular plant checklist Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares. Note: recognizes vars. maximus and pubiglumis
International Seed Testing Association. 1982. A Multilingual Glossary of Common Plant-Names 1. Field crops, grasses and vegetables, ed. 2.
Kabelo, M. & D. Mafokate. 2004. A checklist of Botswana grasses. S. African Bot. Diversity Network Rep. 24:1-16. Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
Randall, R. P. 2007. The introduced flora of Australia and its weed status.
Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
Rhodes, A. C. et al. 2022. The invasiveness of Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus) is characterized by habitat and differing herbivore assemblages in its native and invaded range. NeoBiota 78:25-44. DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.78.87069.
Tovar, Ó. 1993. Las gramíneas (Poaceae) del Perú. Ruizia 13:322. Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
Villaseñor, J. L. & F. J. Espinoza-Garcia. 2004. The alien flowering plants of Mexico. Diversity & Distrib. 10:113-123. Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
Wagner, W. L. et al. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands (on-line resource). Note: = Urochloa maxima (Jacq.) R. D. Webster
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition). Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource). Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.

Common names

Language	Name	note	seq	Citation
English	green panic grass	as Panicum maximum	1	't Mannetje, L. & R. M. Jones, eds. 1992. Forages. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 4:172. Note: as Panicum maximum
English	Guinea grass		1	Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
French	herbe de Guinée	as Panicum maximum	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Panicum maximum
German	Guineagras	as Panicum maximum	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Panicum maximum
Italian	erba della Guinea		2	International Seed Testing Association. 1982. A Multilingual Glossary of Common Plant-Names 1. Field crops, grasses and vegetables, ed. 2.
Portuguese (Brazil)	capim-colonião	as Panicum maximum	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Panicum maximum
Spanish	mijo de Guinea	as Panicum maximum	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Panicum maximum
Spanish	pasto Guinea	as Panicum maximum	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: as Panicum maximum
Swedish	guineagräs		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	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Kenya			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Tanzania			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Uganda			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Eritrea			Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Ethiopia			Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Somalia			Thulin, M., ed. 1993-. Flora of Somalia.
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Sudan			Andrews, F. W. 1950-1956. The flowering plants of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Angola
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Malawi			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Mozambique			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zambia			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zimbabwe			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Botswana			Plants of southern Africa: an online checklist. Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Eswatini			Plants of southern Africa: an online checklist. Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Lesotho			Plants of southern Africa: an online checklist. Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Namibia			Plants of southern Africa: an online checklist. Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa			Plants of southern Africa: an online checklist. Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Benin			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Côte D'Ivoire			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Ghana			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Liberia			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Nigeria			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Senegal			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Sierra Leone			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Cameroon			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Democratic Republic of the Congo
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Madagascar			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Mauritius
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Arabian Peninsula	Yemen
2	Cultivated	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guangdong Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition). Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
2	Cultivated	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan			Barbosa de Sousa, A. C. et al. 2011. Molecular diversity and genetic structure of Guineagrass (Panicum maximum Jacq.), a tropical pasture grass. Trop. Pl. Biol. 4:185-202. Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
2	Cultivated	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Taiwan			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition). Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia	New South Wales		George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Northern Territory		George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Queensland		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	Western Australia		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 Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
4	Naturalized	Northern America		Mexico			Villaseñor, J. L. & F. J. Espinoza-Garcia. 2004. The alien flowering plants of Mexico. Diversity & Distrib. 10:113-123. Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	Texas		Rhodes, A. C. et al. 2022. The invasiveness of Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus) is characterized by habitat and differing herbivore assemblages in its native and invaded range. NeoBiota 78:25-44. DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.78.87069.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida		Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource). Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
4	Naturalized	Pacific	North-Central Pacific	United States	Hawaii		Wagner, W. L. et al. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands (on-line resource). Note: = Urochloa maxima (Jacq.) R. D. Webster
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Amazonas		Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Goiás		Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Mato Grosso		Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Mato Grosso do Sul		Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Minas Gerais		Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	São Paulo		Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Bahamas			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Cuba			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Guadeloupe			Barbosa de Sousa, A. C. et al. 2011. Molecular diversity and genetic structure of Guineagrass (Panicum maximum Jacq.), a tropical pasture grass. Trop. Pl. Biol. 4:185-202. Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Hispaniola			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Jamaica			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Puerto Rico		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	Costa Rica			Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae) (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	El Salvador			Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae) (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala			Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae) (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	Honduras			Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae) (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	Nicaragua			Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae) (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	Panama			Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae) (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Northern South America	French Guiana			Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae) (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Northern South America	Guyana			Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae) (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina			Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares. Note: recognizes vars. maximus and pubiglumis
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Paraguay			Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares. Note: recognizes vars. maximus and pubiglumis
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Bolivia			Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares. Note: recognizes vars. maximus and pubiglumis
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia			Giraldo-Cañas, D. 2011. Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en Colombia. Darwiniana 49:139-247.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador			Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae) (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador	Galápagos		Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae) (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Peru			Tovar, Ó. 1993. Las gramíneas (Poaceae) del Perú. Ruizia 13:322.

Native
Africa

NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia
EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo
WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Benin, Côte D'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone
SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Angola, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Eswatini, South Africa
WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Madagascar, Mauritius

Asia-Temperate

ARABIAN PENINSULA: Yemen

Cultivated
Asia-Temperate

CHINA: China [Guangdong Sheng]
EASTERN ASIA: Japan, Taiwan

Naturalized
Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia [New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia (s.e.), Western Australia, Northern Territory]
NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand

Northern America

SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Florida]
SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Texas]
REGION: Mexico

Pacific

NORTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: United States [Hawaii]

Southern America

CARIBBEAN: Hispaniola, Bahamas, Cuba, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, United States [Puerto Rico]
CENTRAL AMERICA: Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador
NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: French Guiana, Guyana
BRAZIL: Brazil [Amazonas, Goiás, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, São Paulo]
WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador [Galápagos], Peru
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina, Paraguay

Reference(s)

Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae) (on-line resource).
Plants of southern Africa: an online checklist. Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
Andrews, F. W. 1950-1956. The flowering plants of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.
Barbosa de Sousa, A. C. et al. 2011. Molecular diversity and genetic structure of Guineagrass (Panicum maximum Jacq.), a tropical pasture grass. Trop. Pl. Biol. 4:185-202. Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
Giraldo-Cañas, D. 2011. Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en Colombia. Darwiniana 49:139-247.
Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
Howell, C. J. & J. W. D. Sawyer. 2006. New Zealand naturalised vascular plant checklist Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares. Note: recognizes vars. maximus and pubiglumis
Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
Rhodes, A. C. et al. 2022. The invasiveness of Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus) is characterized by habitat and differing herbivore assemblages in its native and invaded range. NeoBiota 78:25-44. DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.78.87069.
Thulin, M., ed. 1993-. Flora of Somalia.
Tovar, Ó. 1993. Las gramíneas (Poaceae) del Perú. Ruizia 13:322.
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
Villaseñor, J. L. & F. J. Espinoza-Garcia. 2004. The alien flowering plants of Mexico. Diversity & Distrib. 10:113-123. Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
Wagner, W. L. et al. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands (on-line resource). Note: = Urochloa maxima (Jacq.) R. D. Webster
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition). Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.
Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource). Note: = Panicum maximum Jacq.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Animal food	fodder	as Panicum maximum	Veldkamp, J. F. 1996. Revision of Panicum and Whiteochloa in Malesia (Gramineae-Paniceae). Blumea 41:197. Note: as Panicum maximum
Animal food	forage	the most important cultivated forage grass in tropical America, as Panicum maximum	Hitchcock, A. S. 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States, ed. 2. Note: as Panicum maximum
Vertebrate poisons	mammals	as Panicum maximum	Kellerman, T. S. et al. 1988. Plant poisonings and mycotoxicoses of livestock in Southern Africa
Weed			Rhodes, A. C. et al. 2022. The invasiveness of Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus) is characterized by habitat and differing herbivore assemblages in its native and invaded range. NeoBiota 78:25-44. DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.78.87069.
Weed	seed contaminant	potential; as Panicum maximum	CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: as Panicum maximum
Weed	seed contaminant	potential; as Panicum maximum	Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds Note: as Panicum maximum

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=447623. Accessed 12 May 2026.