Dichanthelium is genus of flowering plants of the grass family, Poaceae. They are known commonly as rosette grasses and panicgrasses. Taxonomy Formerly a subgenus of the genus Panicum, Dichanthelium was elevated to genus status in 1974. Its species are still treated as members of Panicum by some authorities, because the two genera are very similar in form. Molecular data support the recognition of Dichanthelium as a separate genus. The name Dichanthelium originates from the Greek for "twice-flowering", in reference to the vernal and autumnal growth phases. Description These are perennial grasses, sometimes with rhizomes. The grasses may overwinter as rosettes of short, wide leaves and then produce longer, wider leaves on the stem during spring. They produce hollow stems a few centimeters tall to well over one meter. They are upright to erect when new, then sometimes sprawling, spreading, and bending as the season progresses. The upper stems may have a few main branches that divide into smaller branches bearing panicles. There are primary panicles, which may be chasmogamous, and secondary panicles, which are often cleistogamous. The spikelets are roughly 1 to 5 millimeters long and lack awns. In the Chicago area, Dichanthelium is considered the most emblematic genus of the Gulf and Atlantic coastal plain disjunct habitat found in that region. Species There are about 72 species in the genus. Species include: Dichanthelium aciculare (Desv. ex Poir.) Gould & C.A.Clark – needleleaf rosette grass, narrow-leaved panicgrass Dichanthelium acuminatum (Sw.) Gould &C.A. Clark – tapered rosette grass, hotsprings rosette grass, hairy panicgrass Dichanthelium adenorhachis (Zuloaga & Morrone) Zuloaga Dichanthelium aequivaginatum (Swallen) Zuloaga Dichanthelium albomaculatum (Scribn.) Gould Dichanthelium angustifolium (Elliott) Gould Dichanthelium annulum (Ashe) LeBlond Dichanthelium assurgens (Renvoize) Zuloaga Dichanthelium boreale (Nash) Freckmann – northern panicgrass Dichanthelium boscii (Poir.) Gould & C.A.Clark – Bosc's panicgrass Dichanthelium cabrerae (Zuloaga & Morrone) Zuloaga Dichanthelium caerulescens (Hack. ex Hitchc.) Correll Dichanthelium caparoense (Zuloaga & Morrone) Zuloaga Dichanthelium chamaelonche (Trin.) Freckmann & Lelong – small-seeded panicgrass Dichanthelium clandestinum (L.) Gould – deertongue Dichanthelium columbianum (Scribn.) Freckmann Dichanthelium commonsianum (Ashe) Freckmann Dichanthelium commutatum (Schult.) Gould – variable panicgrass Dichanthelium congestum (Renvoize) Zuloaga Dichanthelium conjugens (Skottsb.) C.A.Clark & Gould Dichanthelium cordovense (E.Fourn.) Davidse Dichanthelium cucaense (Zuloaga & Morrone) Zuloaga Dichanthelium cumbucana (Renvoize) Zuloaga Dichanthelium cynodon (Reichardt) C.A.Clark & Gould – tussock panicgrass Dichanthelium davidsei (Zuloaga & Morrone) Zuloaga Dichanthelium depauperatum (Muhl.) Gould – starved panicgrass Dichanthelium dichotomum (L.) Gould – cypress panicgrass, forked panicgrass Dichanthelium ensifolium (Baldwin