This is widespread in eastern North America, except the upper midwest (FNA 25). Included here are a few colls. previously referable to Panicum barbulatum Michx., which is a robust form with more hairy nodes that is combined with typical dichotomum (W) or ignored (FNA 25) in most recent treatments; yet Ladd & Thomas (2015) have insisted that this taxon is distinct in Missouri. There are indeed occasional transitions to microcarpon and perhaps other species in the dichotomum group (Sect. Dichanthelium). Compared to microcarpon and yadkinense, dichotomum is distinguished by its moderately sized, blunt spikelets (ca. 1.8-2.3 mm long), general absence of bearded nodes except sometimes at lowest nodes, general absence of deeper color or mottles on lower sheaths, and relatively narrow primary leaves (usually 3-7 mm wide at mid-stem versus 5-15 mm). However, initial analysis of DNA suggest that traditional definitons of dichotomum may still be muddled with microcarpon (majure et al. 2023).