Taxonomy of Dichanthelium hirstii (Poaceae), a very rare and disjunct witch-grass of the eastern U.S.

Abstract

After a careful range-wide study of specimens and a review of the taxonomic literature, we have determined that Dichanthelium hirstii (Swallen) Kartesz is taxonomically valid at the rank of species, and is a distinctive member of this complex genus. It is also one of the rarest plants in eastern North America.