Bambatsi (Panicum coloratum var. makarikariense)is a perennial summer-growing grass that is well adapted to medium- to heavy-cracking clay soils of the Darling Downs, Western Downs and the Maranoa, where the average yearly rainfall is greater than 600 mm. Bambatsi can tolerate waterlogging, drought, frost and saline soil. It performs well on melon-hole (gilgai) soils in brigalow lands, but is unsuited to the sandy and loamy soil of lower fertility soils.

Bambatsi is the common variety name of all commercial seed of what was once called Makarikari grass. Cross-pollination has eliminated differences between the old varieties Pollock, Burnett and Bambatsi.