Although generally recognized as a distinct species by panicologists during the early 20th Century (Sm, F, HC), this taxon became generally confused with D. mattamuskeetense (Ashe) Mohlenbrock, D. microcarpon or D. dichotomum (FNA 25). It has recently been revived by LeBlond (W), with records from most southeastern states east of the Mississipii Rv. except Ky. and W.Va. It occurs "primarily in the Appalachian Province with very few occurrences in the Coastal Plain... [on] Dry sandy or rocky soil of open woods, dry grasslands, and barrens, and glades over serpentine, limestone, calcareous shales, and other high pH dry soils." It differs from microcarpon and allies as follows (W): usually all culm nodes bearded (versus often only lower nodes); middle and upper internodes and peduncle often sparsely to moderately spreading short-hairy, sometimes also glandular (versus all glabrous); upper as well as lower vernal sheaths and both surfaces of cauline blades pubescent, often densely so (versus glabrous). The only record from Ky. is a coll. of Medley from limestone clifftops near Tragia urticifolia and Paxistima canbyi in PULA (APSC); the coll. was recently det. by Brock (2020).