Culms few-several, spreading, 1.5-5 dm, glabrous except the appressed-hairy nodes; sheaths glabrous (and sometimes viscous-spotted) on the back, villous-ciliate with hairs usually 1-2 mm, some of the sheaths shorter than the internodes; ligule typically none, but sometimes a band of hairs to 1 mm; blades cordate and papillose-ciliate at base, the largest ones 6-12 cm נ7-15 mm, the primary veins scarcely stronger than the sets of 3-5 intermediate veins; flag-lf mostly 3-9 cm, typically borne ±midway between the stem-base and the panicle-tip; primary panicle 5-10 נ4-8 cm, long-exsert at anthesis, with spreading branches; spikelets (excluding the first glume) almost spherical, minutely puberulent, 1.3-1.9 mm, the first glume a third as long, broadly ovate; autumnal phase more widely spreading or prostrate, the few branches mostly from the base and lower nodes, the lvs and panicles scarcely reduced; 2n=18. Moist or dry, preferable shady places; Mass. and Vt. to O. and Kans., s. to Fla. and Tex. (Dichanthelium s.)

Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

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