Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Dichanthelium commutatum (Schult.) Gould senso lato 
Lower Taxa: Dichanthelium commutatum var. ashei (Pearson ex Ashe) Mohlenbr.; Dichanthelium commutatum var. commutatum; Dichanthelium commutatum var. latifolium (Lamson) Gould
Origin: Native
Habit: Perennial, rosette forming grass
Habitat: Dry sandy to mesic loamy soils; Open dry road edges, fields and sparsely canopied upland woodlands
Range: Statewide, few NE counties without herbarium records
Frequency: Common
Rank/Status: S5/G5
Wetland Status: FACU
Flowering & Reproduction: Early Summer, June-early July, vernal panicles, autumnal panicles late July-September; spikelets mature within month of pollination
Comments: The Variable rosette panic grass is species that is widespread in New Jersey. The taxon is composed of 3 distinct varieties: ashei, commutatum and latifolium. 2 Varieties, commutatum and ashei, are represented in New Jersey and overlap on the Coastal Plain, specifically along the Delaware River Valley and Delaware Bay Shore communities. Variety ashei is a fine diminutive plant of the Coastal Plain and variety communtatum is more widespread with larger, coarser stem and leaf characters. Variety latifoliuum is similar to Dichanthelium latifolium, but is distinguished by nodes and stem pubescence. Its presence in NJ is suspect.
Current distribution map reflects author, Chrysler herbarium specimens and Mary Hough, 1983. JRA, 10/2013
