Flora of the Southeastern United States

Panicum capillare Linnaeus. Common name: Old-witch Grass, Tumbleweed, Tickle Grass. Phenology: Aug-Nov. Habitat: Open sandy or stony soil, fields, roadsides, waste places, often weedy in cultivated soil. Distribution: E. to c. Canada, s. to FL and TX, Mexico; Bermuda (perhaps native).

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: Plants sometimes known as P. capillare var. occidentale Rydberg, ranging from Canada south to NJ, WV, KY, TX, and CA, are distinguished by long-acuminate spikelets 2.5-4 mm long that are mostly subsessile or short-pedicelled. In our region, P. capillare has short-acuminate spikelets 1.8-2.9 mm long, mostly on longer pedicels.

Synonymy ⓘ: = FlGr, K4, Mex, Mi, NcTx, Pa, RAB, S, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, WH3, WV, Darbyshire & Cayouette (1995), Lelong (1986), Zuloaga & Aliscioni (2023); = Panicum capillare L. ssp. capillare — Ar, FNA25, NE, NY; = Panicum capillare L. var. agreste Gatt. — G; < Panicum capillare L. — C, Zuloaga & Morrone (1996); > Panicum capillare L. var. capillare — ETx1, F, HC, Il, W; > Panicum capillare L. var. occidentale Rydb. — F, HC, Il; Panicum capillare L. Basionym: Panicum capillare L. 1753

Links to other floras: = Panicum capillare ssp. capillare - FNA25

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
• Great Plains: FAC
• Midwest: FAC
• Northcentral & Northeast: FAC

Heliophily ⓘ: 9