Panicum urvilleanum
Silky panic grass, Silky Panic Grass
(c) Steve Matson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Steve Matson · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Native
Panicum urvilleanum (Silky panic grass) is a native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by very large spikelets (5-7.5 mm) and growth from stolons/rhizomes are key.
Silky panic grass is a California native perennial found in eastern Southern California and desert regions in sandy soils and dunes at elevations below 1,220 meters. Flowering from March to May, this grass produces green spikelets 5 to 7.5 millimeters long with delicate white-edged membranes. Growing 40 to 100 centimeters tall with spreading stolons or rhizomes, it forms graceful clumps with hairy stems. Its leaves are distinctive, with hairy sheaths 12 to 35 centimeters long and blades 20 to 45 centimeters long, 4 to 7 millimeters wide, with short hairs on the upper surface. The plant's inflorescences spread 20 to 35 centimeters, with spikelets arranged in elegant, branching clusters.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 7 sympatric species; very large spikelets (5-7.5 mm) and growth from stolons/rhizomes are key
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy soils, dunes
Elevation: < 1220 m
California counties: Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, San Diego
Outside California: Arizona, northern Mexico, South America
Bloom period
Panicum urvilleanum blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Deschampsia: Panicum has thick rigid lemmas and well-developed lower glumes; hairgrass has thin awned florets and tiny glumes.; vs Dichanthelium: Panicum has a single flowering period; rosette grass produces two distinct flower types (spring and summer).; vs Hilaria: Panicum has single spikelets on branches; curly mesquite has spikelets in clusters of three along a spike.; vs Sorghum: Panicum has single spikelets throughout panicle; sorghum has three-spikelet groups at branch tips.; vs Echinochloa: Panicum has a membranous ligule and panicle; barnyard grass lacks a ligule and has bristly branches.
Frequently asked questions
Is Panicum urvilleanum native to California?
Yes. Panicum urvilleanum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Panicum urvilleanum bloom?
Panicum urvilleanum blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Panicum urvilleanum grow?
Panicum urvilleanum occurs in Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, San Diego, at elevations of < 1220 m.
What plant family does Panicum urvilleanum belong to?
Panicum urvilleanum is in the Poaceae family, genus Panicum.
What habitat does Panicum urvilleanum grow in?
Panicum urvilleanum grows in Sandy soils, dunes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Panicum acuminatum — Western panicgrass
- Panicum acuminatum var. fasciculatum — Pacific panic grass
- Panicum acuminatum var. lindheimeri — Lindheimer panicgrass
- Panicum acuminatum var. thermale — Geysers panicum
- Panicum antidotale — Blue panic grass
- Panicum capillare — Witch grass
- Parapholis incurva — Curved sicklegrass
- Parapholis sp. — Sickle grass
- Parapholis strigosa — Hairy sickle grass
- Paspalum dilatatum — Dallis grass
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.