PANICUM CAPILLARE
20. Panicum capillare L. OLD WITCH GRASS, CAPILLARY PANIC-GRASS.
A stout, branching annual with very hairy sheaths and blades, occurring in dry soil; common as a weed in cultivated fields and meadows.
Leaves rolled in the bud-shoot. Sheath not compressed, not keeled, conspicuously papillose-hispid between the veins, dull green, split; margins overlapping and hyaline. Auricles absent. Collar broad, distinct, pubescent, yellowish green. Ligule a dense fringe of hairs fused at base, 1.0 to 2.0 mm. long. Blade 8 to 15 mm. wide, 8 to 20 cm. long, soft, cordate and keeled at base, sharply taper-pointed at apex, densely short-pubescent on both surfaces with silky hairs; midrib prominent; margins scabrous, papilloseciliate towards base of blade.
This species is distinguished from P. implicatum by its shorter ligule, broader and longer blades and annual habit.
