The Australian Paniceae (Poaceae)

The tribe Paniceae (Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, supertribe Panicanae; type genus Panicum L.) includes around 90 genera, primarily found in tropical and subtropical regions, with a significant presence in Australia, where it is the largest grass tribe, comprising 45 genera and 263 subgeneric taxa. This project aims to provide an up-to-date, comprehensive account of Australian Paniceae through the creation of an automated database using the DELTA system. This initiative serves as a large-scale test of DELTA's applicability in a floristic context and extends the existing automated database for grass genera. The Australian Paniceae database recognizes 308 taxa, described using a character list of 208 features, which was expanded from a pilot project. The list includes a comment character for nomenclature, 42 vegetative features, 52 inflorescence features, 104 spikelet details, and one for cytology. Each taxon is categorized as native or introduced, with details on distribution by State and botanical regions, moisture requirements, and flowering periods. General remarks, specimen citations, and relevant literature are also provided. While few types were examined, citations are included for most taxa. Data were sourced from extensive loans of Paniceae material from various herbaria.