Abstract The variation of amylose content (AC) among grains within a panicle and its relation to panicle morphology were investigated using 44 japonica rice cultivars differing in grain density (GD), panicle bending degree (BD) and palatability. Morphological traits of the rice panicle were poorly associated with mean grain AC on the average of the whole panicle, but closely related to AC variation and spatial distribution within a panicle, with the compact-panicle cultivars (GD>6.5 grain/cm and BD 70°). The extent of AC differences among the rachides within a panicle was also cultivar-dependent, and greater differences were found between middle and top rachides for the compact-panicle cultivars, and between middle and bottom rachides for the loose-panicle cultivars. The difference in spatial distribution of AC variation between Bing110 (a compact-panicle cultivar) and XS11 (a loose-panicle cultivar) indicated that grains with low AC were principally distributed on interior rachis of middle branches for Bing110, but on bottom-rachis for XS11. Such a distribution is basically associated with the difference in the timing procedure of floret initiation and development, and final grain weight.