Dichanthelium laxiflorum (Lamarck) Gould. Open-flower Witchgrass. Phen: Apr-Sep. Hab: Open or shaded woodlands, often in moist soil. Dist: MD south to FL, west to TX, north to IN; Mexico, Central America; West Indies.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: Included in this concept of D. laxiflorum are plants formerly known as Panicum xalapense var. strictirameum. They have strict panicles, smaller leaves, shorter culms, and spikelets as short as 1.4 mm. The known range of these plants is SC to TX. A few D. laxiflorum populations in SC and FL have spikelets to 2.5 mm long.

Synonymy: = FNA25, Il, K1, K3, K4, Mex, Pa, Va, Gould & Clark (1978); = Panicum laxiflorum Lam. – C, F, G, NcTx, RAB; > Dichanthelium xalapense (Kunth) Wipff var. strictirameum (Hitchc. & Chase) Wipff – Wipff (2020); > Dichanthelium xalapense (Kunth) Wipff var. xalapense – Wipff (2020); > Panicum laxiflorum Lam. – HC, S; > Panicum xalapense Kunth – SFla, WV; > Panicum xalapense Kunth var. strictirameum Hitchc. & Chase – HC, S; > Panicum xalapense Kunth var. xalapense – HC, S

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Wetland Indicator Status:

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

Heliophily: 5