Culms few in a tuft, stout and erect, 4–10 dm, glabrous; sheaths usually all longer than the internodes, glabrous on the back, ciliate with hairs usually under 1 mm; ligule none; blades cordate and papillose-ciliate at base, the largest 12–20 cm × 15–30 mm, the secondary veins in sets of usually 6–9 between the well differentiated primary veins; flag-lf usually 10–15+ cm; panicle 8–18 cm, seldom over half as wide, with ascending branches; spikelets (excluding the first glume) almost spherical, minutely puberulent, 1.3–1.9 mm; first glume a third to two-fifths as long, broadly rounded; autumnal phase scarcely different, usually producing a few flowering branches from the lower nodes; 2n=18. Dry or damp soil, usually in open woods; N.Y. to Ind., Mo., and Okla., s. to Ga. and Tex. (Dichanthelium p.; Dichanthelium sphaerocarpon var. isophyllum)