Order: Poales 
Family: Poaceae
Dichanthelium depauperatum (Muhl.) Gould, Starved Panic Grass
Synonymy: Panicum depauperatum Muhl.; Panicum depauperatum Muhl. var. psilophyllum Fernald; Panicum strictum Pursh var. psilophyllum (Fernald) Farw.
Lower Taxa: none
Origin: Native
Habit: Perennial, rosette forming grass
Habitat: Dry sandy soils; Open dry road edges, fields and sparsely canopied xeric woodlands
Range: Statewide
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: Starved rosette panic grass is a perennial grass common on open dry, sandy soils throughout the State of New Jersey. It is often observed as a roadside species. It is often found with other common dry roadside associates such as Danthonia spicata, Dichanthelium dichotomum, Dichanthelium spherocarpon and Panicum virgatum. The species narrow basal leaves masks the rosette panic grass affiliation. Our specimens show a wide degree of variation with many specimens showing fruiting culms longer than basal leaves. This is somewhat dissimilar to the descriptions provided by FNA and Fernald (1950). The acuminate spikelet and other common characters separate this species from its closest relative, Dichanthelium linearifolium.
Reference Specimen: Salem Co., Alloway Twp, Ted Gordon and Joseph Arsenault #1952; sandy Telegraph Road side ~2,000’ N of Coxhat Pond, 6/24/2005.
Current distribution map reflects author, Chrysler herbarium specimens and Mary Hough, 1983. JRA, 10/2013
