Dichanthelium acuminatum var. acuminatum (Sw.) Gould & Clark
Hairy Dichanthelium

Habit: 		Erect or ascending tufted perennial, at length much branched.
Vernal form: 	Commonly olivaceous, often purplish, harsh to the touch, from the copious
		spreading papillose-pubescence of culms and leaves.
Culms: 		20-60 cm. tall, stiffly upright; nodes bearded with spreading hairs.
Blades: 	4-10 cm. long, 5-8 mm. wide, firm, erect or ascending, veins inconspicuous,
		upper surface copiously short-pilose especially toward the rounded base, lower surface
		densely pubescent.
Sheaths: 	Shorter than the internodes.
Ligule: 	3-4 mm. long.
Inflorescence: 	Panicle exserted, 4-6 cm. long, nearly as wide, usually purplish,
		rather densely flowered, the axis and often the branches pilose; the flexuous
		fascicled branches ascending or spreading, short spikelet-bearing branchlets at
		the base of the fascicles.
Spikelets: 	1.6-1.8 mm. long, 1 mm. wide, obovate, obtuse, turgid, papillose-pubescent.
Glumes: 	First glume small, about one third as long as the spikelet; second glume and
		sterile lemma papillose-pilose, subequal, slightly shorter than the obscurely apiculate fruit.
Fruit: 		1.5-1.6 mm. long, 1 mm. wide, elliptic, subapiculate, grain free within the rigid,
		firmly closed lemma and palea.
Autumnal form:	Stiffly erect or ascending, the culms and sheaths sometimes papillose only,
		the branches fascicled, the reduced crowded leaves ascending, the blades 20-30 mm. long,
		much exceeding the reduced panicles.
Habitat: 	Prairies and open ground.  June-September.
Kansas Range:	East two thirds.
Synonyms:	Panicum acuminatum Sw.
		Panicum auburne Ashe
		Panicum benneri Fern.
		Panicum chrysopsidifolium Nash