{{Short description|Genus of grasses}} {{Automatic taxobox |image = Paspalum_distichum_01.jpg |image_caption = ''Paspalum distichum'' |display_parents = 4 |taxon = Paspalum |authority = L. |type_species = ''Paspalum dimidiatum'' |type_species_authority = L.<ref>[https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3779434#page/163/mode/1up Chase, Agnes. 1911. Notes on genera of Paniceae. IV. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 24: 137] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514204326/https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3779434#page/163/mode/1up |date=2019-05-14 }} lectotype designation</ref> |synonyms_ref = <ref>{{cite POWO |id=325790-2 |title=''Paspalum'' L. |access-date=21 April 2024}}</ref> |synonyms = * ''Sabsab'' <small>Adans., nom. superfl.</small> * ''Anachyris'' <small>Nees</small> * ''Ceresia'' <small>Pers.</small> * ''Cleachne'' <small>Roll.-Germ. ex Rottb.</small> * ''Cymatochloa'' <small>Schltdl.</small> * ''Dichromus'' <small>Schltdl., nom. illeg.</small> * ''Dimorphostachys'' <small>E.Fourn.</small> * ''Maizilla'' <small>Schltdl.</small> * ''Paspalanthium'' <small>Desv.</small> * ''Reimaria'' <small>Humb. & Bonpl. ex Flüggé</small> * ''Reimarochloa'' <small>Hitchc.</small> * ''Thrasya'' <small>Kunth</small> * ''Thrasyopsis'' <small>Parodi</small> * ''Tylothrasya'' <small>Döll</small> }} [[Image:Starr 050223-4291 Paspalum vaginatum.jpg|thumb|right|Water finger-grass, ''Paspalum vaginatum'']] thumb|Mr. Shahid Nawaz Landge collecting '''''Paspalum longifolium''''' var. ''l'''orirhachis''''' Bor from its natural habitats, Madhya Pradesh, India. '''''Paspalum''''' is a genus of plants in the grass family.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/586765#page/539/mode/1up |title=Linnaeus, Carl von. 1759. Systema Naturae, Editio Decima (10th edition) 2: 846, 855, 1359 |access-date=2022-01-26 |archive-date=2017-09-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911162504/http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/586765#page/539/mode/1up |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tropicos.org/Name/40002243 |title=Tropicos, ''Paspalum'' L. |access-date=2022-01-26 |archive-date=2018-01-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180125171726/http://www.tropicos.org/Name/40002243 |url-status=live }}</ref>

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 perennial New World grasses. They are warm-season C<sub>4</sub> grasses and are most diverse in subtropical and tropical regions.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=124125 |title=Flora of China Vol. 22 Page 526 <big>雀稗属</big> que bai shu ''Paspalum'' Linnaeus |access-date=2022-01-26 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304003625/http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=124125 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=124125 |title=Flora of Pakistan |access-date=2022-01-26 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304032534/http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=124125 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/floraspecie.php?genere=Paspalum Altervista Flora Italiana, genere Paspalum] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170626161732/http://luirig.altervista.org/flora/taxa/floraspecie.php?genere=Paspalum |date=2017-06-26 }} photos and distribution maps of several species</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://bonap.net/NAPA/TaxonMaps/Genus/County/Paspalum |title=Biota of North America 2013 county distribution maps |access-date=2022-01-26 |archive-date=2015-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210122909/http://bonap.net/NAPA/TaxonMaps/Genus/County/Paspalum |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://bie.ala.org.au/species/Paspalum |title=Atlas of Living Australia |access-date=2022-01-26 |archive-date=2015-02-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210123622/http://bie.ala.org.au/species/Paspalum |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/27274433#page/477/mode/1up |title=Denham, S. S. 2005. Revisión sistemática del subgénero Harpostachys de Paspalum (Poaceae: Panicoideae: Paniceae). Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 92(4): 463–532 |access-date=2022-01-26 |archive-date=2016-03-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306201604/http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/27274433#page/477/mode/1up |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>Ferreira, C. G., R. C. Oliveira, J. F. M. Valls & M. I. Bezerra de Loiola. 2009. Poaceae da Estação Ecológica do Seridó, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil. Hoehnea 36(4): 679–707</ref><ref>Zuloaga, F. O., J. Pensiero & O. Morrone. 2004. Systematics of Paspalum group Notata (Poaceae-Panicoideae-Paniceae). Systematic Botany Monographs 71: 1–75</ref>

''Paspalum scrobiculatum'' (''koda'', ''varuka'', ''varuku'', etc.) is a millet locally grown as food grain. Some species, such as bahiagrass (''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''), but has a higher salinity tolerance and can consume greywater. It is not infrequently used for arena and golf course turf in warmer coastal regions, such as Baja California, Florida, Peru, Texas and Venezuela. Dedicated paspalum cultivars such as 'Aloha Seashore' or 'Platinum TE' have been produced for such uses.

Paspalums are also food for caterpillars of lepidopterans such as the pasture day moth (''Apina callisto''), and those of the dark palm dart (''Telicota ancilla'') which feed on ''P. urvillei''. Granivorous birds often eat paspalum seeds; the chestnut-breasted munia (''Lonchura castaneothorax'') readily feeds on the seeds of ''P. longifolium'', for example.

The ergot ''Claviceps paspali'' is a sac fungus that grows on ''Paspalum'', producing ergot alkaloids and the tremorgen paspalitrem; it causes "paspalum staggers" poisoning in cattle.

Tussock paspalum (''P. quadrifarium'') is considered a noxious weed in Australia.<ref>AWC (2008)</ref> The term “paspalum” without qualification in Australia refers to the common lawn weed ''P. dilatatum.''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Paspalum |url=https://weeds.brisbane.qld.gov.au/weeds/paspalum |access-date=2023-07-08 |website=Weed Identification – Brisbane City Council |language=en}}</ref> Australia has five native {{efn|Including ''Paspalum orbiculare'', ''Paspalum vaginatum'', ''Paspalum longifolium''}} and approximately sixteen naturalised species.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Paspalum |url=https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=gn&name=Paspalum |access-date=2023-07-09 |website=PlantNET FloraOnline |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney}}</ref>

Daikin Park, the home ballpark of the Houston Astros, has Platinum TE Paspalum as its field surface.

==Selected species== {{Main|List of Paspalum species|l1=List of ''Paspalum'' species}} {{div col|colwidth=35em}} * ''Paspalum azuayense'' * ''Paspalum arundinaceum'' * ''Paspalum bakeri'' * †''Paspalum batianoffii'' * ''Paspalum blodgettii'' * ''Paspalum boscianum'' * ''Paspalum caespitosum'' * ''Paspalum ceresia'' * ''Paspalum clavuliferum'' * ''Paspalum conjugatum'' <small>P.J.Bergius</small><!-- Micronesica 40:169. --> &ndash; carabao grass, hilo grass * ''Paspalum convexum'' * ''Paspalum decumbens'' * ''Paspalum densum'' * ''Paspalum dilatatum'' &ndash; dallis grass * ''Paspalum dispar'' * ''Paspalum distichum'' * ''Paspalum fasciculatum'' * ''Paspalum fimbriatum'' * ''Paspalum floridanum'' * ''Paspalum fluitans'' * ''Paspalum geminatum'' * ''Paspalum longifolium'' * ''Paspalum laeve'' <small>Michx.</small> &ndash; smooth paspalum * ''Paspalum laxum'' * ''Paspalum longifolium'' * ''Paspalum longum'' * ''Paspalum macrophyllum'' * ''Paspalum mandiocanum'' * ''Paspalum maritimum'' * ''Paspalum millegrana'' * ''Paspalum minus'' * ''Paspalum molle'' * ''Paspalum nicorae'' * ''Paspalum notatum'' &ndash; bahiagrass, Pensacola bahiagrass * ''Paspalum orbiculare'' <small>G.Forst.</small><!-- Micronesica40:169. --> * ''Paspalum orbiculatum'' <small>Poir.</small> * ''Paspalum paniculatum'' <small>L.</small> * ''Paspalum parviflorum'' * ''Paspalum paucispicatum'' * ''Paspalum peckii'' * ''Paspalum pleostachyum'' * ''Paspalum plicatulum'' &ndash; brownseed paspalum * ''Paspalum pulchellum'' * ''Paspalum pubiflorum'' * ''Paspalum quadrifarium'' &ndash; tussock paspalum * ''Paspalum repens'' * ''Paspalum rugulosum'' * ''Paspalum rupestre'' * ''Paspalum schesslii'' * ''Paspalum scrobiculatum'' &ndash; koda millet, kodo millet, kodra millet, ''varuka'' (Sanskrit), ''varuku'' (Tamil) * ''Paspalum secans'' * ''Paspalum setaceum'' &ndash; slender paspalum * ''Paspalum soboliferum'' * ''Paspalum urvillei'' * ''Paspalum vaginatum'' Sw. (syn. ''P. distichum''<!-- L. -->, ''P. littorale''<!-- R.Br. -->) &ndash; water finger-grass * ''Paspalum virgatum'' * ''Paspalum wullschlaegelii'' {{div col end}}

==Formerly placed here== * ''Axonopus compressus'' (broad-leaved carpetgrass), as ''P. compressum'', ''P. platycaule'', ''P. platycaulon'' * ''Axonopus fissifolius'' (narrow-leaved carpetgrass), as ''P. fissifolium'' * ''Digitaria exilis'' (fonio), as ''P. exile''

==Notes== {{Notelist}}

==References== {{Commons category|position=left}} {{Reflist}} * {{aut|Australian Weeds Committee (AWC)}} (2008): Noxious Weed List for Australian States and Territories. Version 18.00, September 2008. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070830083549/http://www.weeds.org.au/docs/weednet6.pdf PDF fulltext]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q2333069}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Paspalum Category:Poaceae genera Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus