**5.3 Panicoideae Link**

Panicoideae consists of two tribes, 10 subtribes, 18 genera and about 50 species in Chile (Table 2). Tribe **Andropogoneae** is represented by the genera *Cymbopogon* (*C. citratus*) in northern Chile, *Schizachyrium* (*S. sanguineum*, *S. spicatum*) in Central Chile, *Imperata* (*I. condensata*) from Copiapó to Valdivia, *Miscanthus* (*M. sinensis*), cultivated in Central Chile, *Bothriochloa* (*B. laguroides* and *B. saccharoides* in Central Chile, *B. ischaemum* in Easter Island), *Sorghum* (*S. bicolor*, *S. halepense*), widely distributed in northern and central Chile (*S. halepense* is a serious agricultural weed from Arica and Parinacota to the region of Araucanía and Easter Island) (Matthei, 1995). *Zea mays* is cultivated (corn), but also commonly found in roadsides. Tribe **Paniceae** is represented by some 39 species in 11 genera, most of them have been mentioned as summer weed of agricultural fields in Chile. Genus *Cenchrus* contains seven species, from northern and central Chile, some of them reported as common weeds (*C. incertus*, *C. clandestinus*, *C. myosuroides*, *C. chilensis*, *C. longisetus*). In addition, all species of genus *Digitaria* in Chile have been reported as weeds in agricultural fields, however, the most important because of its geographical distribution is *D. sanguinalis*, living from Huasco (Atacama) to Valdivia (Los Rios) and Juan Fernández. *Digitaria setigera* and *D. violascens* are introduced weeds in Easter Island (Matthei, 1995). *Eriochloa montevidensis* has been reported only from Valle de Azapa (Arica) as a weed in agricultural and ruderal fields. *Melinis repens* was also reported as a weed species introduced in Easter Island (Matthei, 1995). *Dichanthelium sabulorum* occurs in central-southern Chile (Maule, Bío-Bío). *Echinochloa* includes three species (*E. colona*, *E. crus-galli*, and *E. crus-pavonis*), all of them important weeds of rice fields. Genus *Panicum* includes four or five species, two of them weeds of ruderal and agricultural places, *P. capillare* and *P. dichotomiflorum*.

Ten species of *Paspalum* have been reported, most of them as summer weeds in corn, sugar beets, rice, and other crops (Matthei, 1995). Genus *Setaria* also includes several important weed species in Chile, growing in vineyards, sugar beet, orchards, etc: *S. parviflora*, *S*. *pumila*, *S. verticillata*, *S. viridis*.
