Back Dune/ Southern Beach Panicgrass

OMMON NAME: Southern Beach Panicgrass

OTHER COMMON NAME(S): Seabeach Grass, Bitter Panic Grass

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Panicum amarulum

FAMILY: Poaceae

COMMUNITY: Secondary Dunes

STATUS: Native

LIFESPAN: Perennial

HEIGHT: to 2 feet

FLOWERING TIME: Early August to late October

FRUITING TIME: Early August to late October

DISTRIBUTION: New Jersey is close to the limit of its northern range, south to  Florida and Texas ~ Scattered throughout coastal strip, frequent in Cape May County in New Jersey ~ Some botanist consider this species (P. amarulum) only a variety of P. amarum.

IDENTIFYING CHARACTERISTICS: Stems stout, densely clustered on hard knotty base ~ Blades firm, elongated ~ Panicles slender ~ Spiklets smooth, ovate up to 9 inches long, bushy ~ Florets smooth, shinny, small

GENERAL INFORMATION: The Poaceae family is commonly called the grass family and grasses in this genus, Panicum, are commonly called panic grasses.  The name is presumably derived from its more or less diffuse panicle or flower cluster. One hundred and sixty species of panic grasses grow in the United States; approximately one-third of the total in the world. The center of abundance of our species is in the Southeast, though some panic grasses are encountered in all parts of the country.  The plants inhabit fields and upland waste places. The perennial panic grasses is a large group, many of which, have an unusual life cycle.  Several of these grasses have a vernal and an autumnal phase.  They have basal rosettes of leaves that stay green through the winter.  In the early part of the season, they send up a conspicuous terminal flowering shoot.  Later in the season the plant starts branching profusely and produces small inflorescences (flower cluster) tucked in the leaf axils.  These flowers never open but instead pollinate themselves. Panic grasses are one of the country’s most important source of food for ground-feeding songbirds and gamebirds.

Please note: While harvesting wild berries/fruit is permitted at Island Beach State Park, visitors must adhere to park regulations at all times and must not damage vegetation or go off designated trails.  This information is presented for educational purposes.