This widespread eastern taxon differs from acuminatum in having larger spikelets (1.8-2.5 mm long versus 1.6-2.1 mm), longer sheath pubescence (1.4-3.8 mm versus 0.2-2.5 mm), and a lack of extensive marginal cilia along the blades of the vernal leaves. Variation among plants mapped here needs further study. Some colls. have appeared transitional to the largely midwestern species, praecocius, which has shorter spikelets, longer ligules, narrower blades, and narrower culms (FNA 25). Both taxa have been treated as subspecies of the southeastern species, D. ovale (Ell.) Gould & C.A. Clark (which is unknown from Ky. in its narrow sense). They may also intergrade with acuminatum (FNA 25). Most taxa of Dichanthelium are diploids (2n = 18) and hybridization often appears to occur in the genus. However, there has been no definitive demonstration of hybrids with villosissimum.