Habit: 		Somewhat tufted perennial.
Vernal form: 	In clumps of few to many culms.
Culms: 		Erect or ascending, 15-60 cm. tall, often geniculate at the base, sometimes
		widely spreading, glabrous or harshly puberulent or sometimes ascending-pilose.
Blades: 	Ascending or erect, 5-10 cm. long, 6-12 mm. wide, firm, rounded at the ciliate base,
		glabrous above, scabrous and sparingly hairy beneath or glabrous.
Sheaths: 	Longer than the internodes, loose, striate, strongly papillose-hispid to nearly glabrous.
Ligule: 	About 1 mm. long.
Inflorescence: 	Panicle short exserted, 4-7, rarely 9 cm. long, two thirds to three fourths
		as wide, the branches ascending or finally spreading, the secondary ones much smaller
		and more or less included.
Spikelets: 	3.2-3.3 mm. long, obovate, blunt, very turgid, obtuse, strongly nerved,
		sparsely pubescent or nearly glabrous.
Glumes: 	First glume ovate, one third as long as the spikelet, acute, second and sterile
		lemma subequal, broad, about 9-nerved, glabrous or finely pubescent.
Fruit: 		2.8-2.9 mm. (sometimes only 2.5) long, 1.8-1.9 mm. (1.6) wide, broadly elliptic,
		minutely apiculate.
Autumnal form:	Branching from the middle and upper nodes.
Habitat: 	Meadows, prairies, sand prairies. May-July.
Remarks: 	A very abundant prairie grass in spring.
Synonyms:	Panicum helleri Nash
		Panicum macrocarpon Le Conte ex Torr.
		Panicum oligosanthes J.A. Schultes var. helleri (Nash) Fern.
		Panicum oligosanthes J.A. Schultes var. scribnerianum (Nash) Fern.
		Panicum scoparium S. Wats. ex Nash, non Lam.
		Panicum scribnerianum Nash