Panicum americanum

Botanical Latin Translations

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(updated 29 January 2026)

Panicum americanum L.

Taxonomic history:
1753: Linnaeus described this species as Panicum americanum in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 56.
today: The current name for this species is Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.

original Latin diagnosis
Panicum spica simplici aequali, pedunculis bifloris.

English translation
Panicum with a spike simple [and] equal, [and] with peduncles two-flowered.

English translation with commentary

Panicum Panicum

with a spike spica - ablative singular of first declension feminine noun spica, -ae

simple simplici - ablative singular feminine of group B adjective simplex, simplex, simplex; modifies spica

[and] [added for smoother reading]

equal; aequali - ablative singular feminine of group B adjective aequalis, -is, -e; modifies spica

[and] [added for smoother reading]

with peduncles pedunculis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun pedunculis, -i

two-flowered. bifloris - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective biflorus, -a, -um; modifies pedunculis

For a list of botanical Latin translations, please click here. To access the Species Plantarum concordance, please click here.

Panicum	Panicum
with a spike	spica - ablative singular of first declension feminine noun spica, -ae
simple	simplici - ablative singular feminine of group B adjective simplex, simplex, simplex; modifies spica
[and]	[added for smoother reading]
equal;	aequali - ablative singular feminine of group B adjective aequalis, -is, -e; modifies spica
[and]	[added for smoother reading]
with peduncles	pedunculis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun pedunculis, -i
two-flowered.	bifloris - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective biflorus, -a, -um; modifies pedunculis