Variation within this widespread southeastern species deserves further study; 2n = 20 to 80 (FNA 25). Most plants in Ky. are referable to var. laeve, with spikelets ca. 2-2.5 mm wide, 2-3 inflorescence branches and smooth foliage. Some records mapped here may be transferable to var. pilosum or var. circulare. P. laeve is a common grass of pastures and roadsides in Ky., but on more fertile calcareous soils it is much less frequent and generally replaced by publiflorum. It is the only common Paspalum on uplands in Ky. that has strictly solitary spikelets (with rare exceptions in a spike), versus consistently paired or with a naked paired pedicel on at least some part of the inflorescence (FNA 25). However, this character often requires careful examination of the whole inflorescence in order to search for vestigial spikelets or pedicels; it is possible that hybrids rarely occur (Chase 1929). Strictly solitary spikelets also occur in repens, dissectum and distichum, which are largely restricted to wetlands and shorelines. P. laeve also has relatively narrow leaves (mostly 3-9 mm), as in dissectum, distichum and some setaceum.