| Noun | 1. | genus Pennisetum - a genus of Old World grasses liliopsid genus, monocot genus - genus of flowering plants having a single cotyledon (embryonic leaf) in the seed family Graminaceae, family Gramineae, family Poaceae, Graminaceae, Gramineae, grass family, Poaceae - the grasses: chiefly herbaceous but some woody plants including cereals; bamboo; reeds; sugar cane bulrush 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 beer fountain grass, Pennisetum ruppelii, Pennisetum setaceum - tall perennial ornamental grass with long nodding flower plumes of tropical Africa and Asia feathertop, feathertop grass, Pennistum villosum - northeastern tropical African plant having feathery panicles |