WITCHGRASS, Panicum capillare
L. 1, entire plant; 2, panicle; 3, seeds. Annual
with fibrous roots, reproducing by seeds. Stems 10 to 30 inches
(25 to 75 cm) tall, often spreading and branched. Leaves and especially
the leaf sheaths covered with dense soft hairs. Panicle much branched,
becoming spreading and open at maturity, often breaking from stem and blown
about by wind. Seeds 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) long, greenish or grayish,
shiny, smooth, readily separated from hulls when ripe. Found in
small grain stubble, cultivated fields, meadows, gardens, and waste areas.
Seed frequently spread in small-seeded crop seeds.