Panicum antidotale 

 

COMMON NAME:   Blue Panicgrass, giant panic

BOTANICAL NAME:   Panicum antidotale 

FAMILY:                    Poaceae (Grass family)

 

DESCRIPTION-

Blue panic (Panicum antidotale Retz.) is a vigorous, tufted perennial grass. It develops from short, thick and somewhat bulbous rhizomes (FAO, 2011; Partridge, 2003) which are deeply rooted. Its stems are erect, hard, almost woody, swollen at the base, looking like sugarcane stems (Freckmann, 2011). Glumes are with broad, membranous margins (Napper, 1965). The leaves are smooth, bluish (hence the name blue panic). The sheaths are long and glabrous.  The inflorescence is long panicle with long spikelets borne on long woody stalks. Native to India now introduced to many countries as a pasture grass but Cultivated in some countries.

USES-

•  Panicum antidotale is mainly used for fodder and grain production. Several cultivars are commercially available (FAO, 2011).

• It makes good hay and fair silage if cut at the flowering or milk stage (Trew, 1954)

• It is used extensively for erosion control in the flood plains of the United States, mainly to protect against wind erosion, and is sown in rows at right angles to the prevailing wind. It is not very effective for control of water erosion (Srinivasan, Bonde & Tejwani, 1962).

• It is sometimes used in native medicine, which probably prompted the specific name "antidotale".

• It is resistant to fire.