Table B-3. Characteristics of bitter panicum. 



Category Characteristics 



Growth habit Perennial grass growing in bunches; few horizontal 

 branching rootstocks (rhizomes) ; fronted, whitish, 

 or waxy in appearance (glaucous) . 



Seed head Long and slender; roughly cylindrical; length 1/4 to 



1/3 the height of plant and usually 1 inch (2.5 centi- 

 meters) or less wide (Fig. B-3, a) . 



Seed Individual seeds are closely pressed against a central 



(spikelets) stem (rachis) ; seeds plump and less than 1/4 inch (0.6 

 centimeter) in length (Fig. B-3,b) . 



Stems Stems arise singly (Fig. B-3,c) from underground joints 



(culms) (nodes); erect and rigid; typically 1.5 to 3 feet 



(0.5 to 0.9 meter) in length, occasionally to 7 feet 

 (2. 1 meters) . 



Leaves Arising at regular intervals along the entire length 



of the stem; leaves broad, about 1/2 inch (1.2 centi- 

 meters) wide near base; leaves rounded (involute) near 

 tips; much of leaf becomes twisted with age and drying. 



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