Pennisetum

Thesaurus

Noun

Pennisetum - a genus of Old World grassesgenus Pennisetumliliopsid genus, monocot genus - genus of flowering plants having a single cotyledon (embryonic leaf) in the seedfamily Graminaceae, family Gramineae, family Poaceae, Graminaceae, Gramineae, grass family, Poaceae - the grasses: chiefly herbaceous but some woody plants including cereals; bamboo; reeds; sugar canebulrush millet, cattail millet, pearl millet, Pennisetum Americanum, Pennisetum glaucum - tall grass having cattail like spikes; grown in Africa and Asia for its grain and in the United States chiefly for forage; sometimes used in making beerfountain grass, Pennisetum ruppelii, Pennisetum setaceum - tall perennial ornamental grass with long nodding flower plumes of tropical Africa and Asiafeathertop, feathertop grass, Pennistum villosum - northeastern tropical African plant having feathery panicles

Pennisetum

a genus of perennial and annual grasses of the family Gramineae. The inflorescence is a spicate panicle. The spikelets have two flowers and are surrounded by pinnate or smooth bristles.

There are more than 100 species of Pennisetum, distributed in the tropical and subtropical zones, primarily in Africa. Some species are encountered in warm temperate regions. There are two species in the USSR: P. flaccidum, which is found in the Pamiro-Alai, and P. orientale, which grows in the Caucasus and the southern part of Middle Asia. Both species grow mainly on dry slopes.

Other species of Pennisetum include pearl millet (P. tuphoides, or P. spicatum), which is an important cereal and fodder plant, and P. purpureum, which is a perennial reaching 6 m in height. The latter species grows wild in tropical and southern Africa; it is cultivated in Africa, southern Asia, the Americas, and Australia. Its seeds and foliage are used to feed cattle, goats, sheep, and horses. The stems are used for building summer structures and for making paper.

Pennisetum

noun

Synonyms for Pennisetum

noun a genus of Old World grasses

Synonyms

genus Pennisetum

Related Words

liliopsid genus
monocot genus
family Graminaceae
family Gramineae
family Poaceae
Graminaceae
Gramineae
grass family
Poaceae
bulrush millet
cattail millet
pearl millet
Pennisetum Americanum
Pennisetum glaucum
fountain grass
Pennisetum ruppelii
Pennisetum setaceum
feathertop
feathertop grass
Pennistum villosum