Panicum capillare L.
Witchgrass

Habit: 		Tufted, erect or decumbent annual.
Culms: 		Erect or spreading at base, 20-80 cm. tall, simple or sparingly branched,
		especially at the base, papillose-hispid to nearly glabrous, densely pubescent at the nodes.
Blades: 	10-25 cm. long, 5-15 mm. wide, usually copiously papillose-hispid, midrib prominent.
Sheaths: 	Usually longer than the internodes, densely papillose-hispid.
Ligule: 	Very short, ciliate.
Inflorescence: 	Panicles densely flowered, 20-35 cm. long, very large and diffuse,
		often half the length of the entire plant, nearly as broad, included at base until
		maturity, main axis sparsely pilose, the numerous capillary scabrous branchlets
		bearing towards their ends long-pediceled spikelets; the whole panicle breaking
		away and becoming a tumbleweed.
Spikelets: 	2-2.5 mm. long, about 0.9 mm. wide, elliptic, somewhat acuminate, glabrous,
		strongly nerved.
Glumes: 	First glume about one half the length of the second, broad, clasping the
		base of the spikelet, acute; second glume and sterile lemma slightly or greatly
		exceeding the elliptical smooth and shining fruit, the glume often slightly
		longer, more or less acuminate beyond the fruit.
Fruit: 		About 1.5 mm. long, about 0.8 mm. wide, elliptic, shiny, brownish,
		strongly nerved with several pale nerves, without a prominent lunate scar at the base.
Habitat: 	Dry or sandy soil, waste places, and cultivated ground.
Kansas Range:	Throughout.
Synonyms:	Panicum barbipulvinatum Nash
		Panicum capillare L. var. agreste Gattinger
		Panicum capillare L. ssp. barbipulvinatum (Nash) Tzvelev
		Panicum capillare L. var. brevifolium Vasey ex Rydb. & Shear
		Panicum capillare L. var. barbipulvinatum (Nash) R.L. McGregor
		Panicum capillare L. var. occidentale Rydb.

Panicum hillmani Chase

Resembling Panicum capillare, especially the variety occidentale, differing from
this in having no short flowering branches at the base, in the stouter culms, firmer leaves,
stiffer panicle branches with the lateral spikelets on shorter, more appressed pedicels,
in the well developed sterile palea, and especially in the larger darker fruit, 2 mm. long,
with a prominent lunate scar at the base.  Annual of prairies and plains, from Kansas to Texas.