Dallis grass (Paspalum dilatatum, J.B.A.M.de Lamarck, Encycl. 5: 35 (1804))

Family: Poaceae

Author: Poir.

Bibliography: J.B.A.M.de Lamarck, Encycl. 5: 35 (1804)

Year: 1804

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Paspalum

Vegetable: False

Observations: SE. & S. Brazil to S. South America

Description

Dallis grass is a perennial grass species scientifically known as Paspalum dilatatum. Positioned within the Poaceae family, it was first described by the botanist Poir. Its formal academic documentation traces back to J.B.A.M. de Lamarck’s entry in the encyclopedia in 1804.

Widely recognized and appreciated for its resilience, Dallis grass thrives predominantly in regions spanning from southeastern and southern Brazil to southern parts of South America. It is often found in pastures, roadside verges, and other open grasslands where it benefits from the warm, humid climates typical of these areas.

This grass species plays a significant role in agriculture primarily due to its utility as forage for livestock. Its robust growth patterns and tolerance to grazing make it an ideal plant for sustaining pastoral landscapes. Moreover, Dallis grass serves as effective ground cover, helping to prevent soil erosion while stabilizing the landscape.

However, despite its utility, Dallis grass can sometimes be considered a nuisance in managed gardens and turfs due to its invasive nature. Its ability to spread rapidly through seed or stolons can lead to unintended infestations, requiring careful management and control in non-pastoral settings.

Whether valued for its agricultural benefits or necessitating control methods in managed landscapes, Dallis grass stands as a prominent example of a hardy, versatile grass species well adapted to the varied climatic conditions of South America.

Common Names

Deu: brasilianische hirse, dallisgras
Eng: dallisgrass, caterpillar grass, dallis grass, water grass, dallis-grass
Fra: panic du brésil, paspale dilaté, herbe de dallis, millet bâtard
Ita: panico brasiliano, panico brasilinao, paspalo dilatato
Heb: paspalun merhav, פספלון מרחב
Por: capim-comprido, capim-melador, capim-mimoso, grama-de-água, milhã-graminheira, sanduva
Spa: grama de agua, gramilla, gramón, mijera, pasto dallis
Hun: széles csomósmuhar
En: Dallis grass, Water grass, Caterpillar grass, Dallisgrass, Dallis-grass, Dallasgrass, Paspalum Grass, Dallas grass, Herbe de miel, Herbe sirop, Palpalum dilate
Ca: Gram d’aigua, Panís de les pampes, Serreig d’arròs
Zh: Mao hua que bai
Fr: Herbe de Dallis, Millet bâtard, Panic du Brésil, Paspale dilaté, Herbe de miel
De: Dallisgras, Brasilianische Hirse, Brasilianische Futterhirse
He: Paspalun merhav, פספלון מרחב, פספלון מורחב
Hu: Széles csomósmuhar
It: Paspalo dilatato, Panico brasiliano, Panico brasilinao
Ja: Shima-suzume-no-hie
Pt: Capim-comprido, Capim-melador, Capim-mimoso, Grama-de-água, Milhã-graminheira, Sanduva, Erva-do-governo, Erva-rija
Es: Pasto dallis, Grama de agua, Gramilla, Gramón, Mijera, Hierba Dallis, Hierba de Australia, Pasto chato, Pasto miel, Zacate amargo, Pasto Dalis, Pasto dulce

Synonyms

• Paspalum ovatum (Nees ex Trin.)
• Paspalum dilatatum f. paucispica (Hack.)
• Paspalum selloi (Spreng. ex Nees)
• Paspalum ovatum var. grandiflorum (Nees)
• Paspalum moluccanum (Huber)
• Digitaria dilatata ((Poir.) Coste)
• Paspalum platense (Spreng.)
• Paspalum dilatatum var. eriophorum ((Schult.) Steud.)
• Paspalum pedunculare (J.Presl)
• Paspalum dilatatum var. sacchariferum (Arechav.)
• Panicum platense ((Spreng.) Kuntze)
• Paspalum dilatatum var. decumbens (Vasey)
• Paspalum dilatatum subsp. flavescens (Roseng., B.R.Arrill. & Izag.)
• Paspalum lanatum (Spreng.)

Distribution

• Argentina Northeast (native)
• Argentina Northwest (native)
• Bolivia (native)
• Brazil South (native)
• Brazil Southeast (native)
• Chile Central (native)
• Paraguay (native)
• Uruguay (native)
• Alabama (introduced)
• Algeria (introduced)
• Andaman Is. (introduced)
• Angola (introduced)
• Arizona (introduced)
• Arkansas (introduced)
• Ascension (introduced)
• Azores (introduced)
• Bahamas (introduced)
• Benin (introduced)
• Bermuda (introduced)
• California (introduced)
• Cameroon (introduced)
• Canary Is. (introduced)
• Cape Provinces (introduced)
• Chatham Is. (introduced)
• China South-Central (introduced)
• China Southeast (introduced)
• Colombia (introduced)
• Colorado (introduced)
• Congo (introduced)
• Cook Is. (introduced)
• Costa Rica (introduced)
• Cuba (introduced)
• Cyprus (introduced)
• District of Columbia (introduced)
• Dominican Republic (introduced)
• East Aegean Is. (introduced)
• East Himalaya (introduced)
• Easter Is. (introduced)
• Egypt (introduced)
• El Salvador (introduced)
• Fiji (introduced)
• Florida (introduced)
• France (introduced)
• Free State (introduced)
• Georgia (introduced)
• Ghana (introduced)
• Greece (introduced)
• Guatemala (introduced)
• Gulf States (introduced)
• Guyana (introduced)
• Haiti (introduced)
• Hawaii (introduced)
• Illinois (introduced)
• India (introduced)
• Iran (introduced)
• Iraq (introduced)
• Italy (introduced)
• Jamaica (introduced)
• Japan (introduced)
• Jawa (introduced)
• Kazan-retto (introduced)
• Kentucky (introduced)
• Kermadec Is. (introduced)
• Korea (introduced)
• KwaZulu-Natal (introduced)
• Laos (introduced)
• Lebanon-Syria (introduced)
• Lesotho (introduced)
• Libya (introduced)
• Louisiana (introduced)
• Madagascar (introduced)
• Madeira (introduced)
• Malaya (introduced)
• Marianas (introduced)
• Marquesas (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Mauritius (introduced)
• Mexico Central (introduced)
• Mexico Gulf (introduced)
• Mexico Northeast (introduced)
• Mexico Northwest (introduced)
• Mexico Southeast (introduced)
• Mexico Southwest (introduced)
• Mississippi (introduced)
• Missouri (introduced)
• Morocco (introduced)
• Myanmar (introduced)
• Nansei-shoto (introduced)
• New Caledonia (introduced)
• New Guinea (introduced)
• New Jersey (introduced)
• New Mexico (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• New Zealand South (introduced)
• Nicobar Is. (introduced)
• Niger (introduced)
• Niue (introduced)
• Norfolk Is. (introduced)
• North Carolina (introduced)
• North Caucasus (introduced)
• Northern Provinces (introduced)
• Ogasawara-shoto (introduced)
• Oklahoma (introduced)
• Oregon (introduced)
• Pakistan (introduced)
• Palestine (introduced)
• Philippines (introduced)
• Portugal (introduced)
• Puerto Rico (introduced)
• Rodrigues (introduced)
• Réunion (introduced)
• Samoa (introduced)
• Sardegna (introduced)
• Saudi Arabia (introduced)
• Sinai (introduced)
• Solomon Is. (introduced)
• South Carolina (introduced)
• Spain (introduced)
• Sri Lanka (introduced)
• Suriname (introduced)
• Swaziland (introduced)
• Taiwan (introduced)
• Tanzania (introduced)
• Tasmania (introduced)
• Tennessee (introduced)
• Texas (introduced)
• Tonga (introduced)
• Transcaucasus (introduced)
• Tristan da Cunha (introduced)
• Turkey (introduced)
• Uzbekistan (introduced)
• Venezuela (introduced)
• Vietnam (introduced)
• Virginia (introduced)
• West Himalaya (introduced)
• West Virginia (introduced)
• Zambia (introduced)
• Zaïre (introduced)
• Zimbabwe (introduced)

Additional Images

Flower

Taken Aug 20, 2021 by Giovanni Scarmoncin (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 17, 2022 by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 31, 2021 by Denise de Lassat (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 19, 2021 by Morató Roser (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 30, 2019 by Stedile Germano (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Jan 15, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 5, 2018 by Javier López (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 9, 2022 by randovu (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 17, 2022 by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 12, 2020 by Brad Kelley (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Oct 16, 2022 by Martine Vidal-Belly (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 4, 2021 by voces miguel (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 4, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Marie PORTAS (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 4, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Marie PORTAS (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 21, 2014 by Tela Botanica − _ (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Jan 15, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 15, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 22, 2021 by Steve Ballard (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 20, 2021 by Giovanni Scarmoncin (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 20, 2021 by Giovanni Scarmoncin (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Jun 26, 2022 by Tristan Jaton-Maria (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 15, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 15, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 4, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Marie PORTAS (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 4, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Marie PORTAS (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Aug 15, 1996 by Photoflora – Benoit BOCK (©)

Taken Jan 1, 1970 by Photoflora – L’Abbé COSTE (©)

Taken Jul 26, 2014 by Tela Botanica − Marie-France PETIBON (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 3, 2022 by Gexan Garate (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 16, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Florent BECK (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2705565)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:414070-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Paspalum dilatatum Poir.)

Specifications

Growth form: Bunch

Growth habit: Graminoid

Growth rate: Moderate

Growth

Ph maximum: 6.5

Ph minimum: 4.9

Light: 8

Atmospheric humidity: 8

Bloom months: [‘jul’, ‘aug’, ‘sep’, ‘oct’]

Soil nutriments: 5