About Dichanthelium scoparium (Lam.) Gould
Dichanthelium scoparium (Lam.) Gould is a grass species with three common names: velvet panicum, velvety panicgrass, and broom panicgrass. It is native to North America, found in the southeastern United States, and also grows in the West Indies. This is a rhizomatous perennial grass. In fall and winter, it forms a basal rosette of leaves, and grows erect stems the following spring. Stems grow in clumps that can reach up to 1.5 meters in height. Each stem bears 7 to 11 hairy leaves, which can grow up to 20 centimeters long and 2 centimeters wide. This grass produces two forms of inflorescence. Flowers on the main panicle open and are pollinated, while the second type are cleistogamous flowers that do not open and self-fertilize. Cleistogamous flowers develop later in the growing season. One pound of this grass's seeds contains approximately 380,000 seeds. This species grows in woodlands and savannas, and may also grow in disturbed habitat. It prefers moist sandy soils, as well as coarse to medium textured soils.
