It’s a plant of moist/disturbed soils. Look for it around ditches, dirt roadsides, dam and reservoir areas, and field edges.
A passage from Wild Edible Plants of Nevada:
Strip the seeds from the stems by pinching low on the bunch and pulling towards the top. And/or the panicles can be rolled between the hands. Give the seeds (and small stems) a vigorous hand–rubbing and then winnow them in a light breeze (or fan set on low).
View photos of the edible plant, Panicum oligosanthes [Dichanthelium oligosanthes] (Scribner’s panicgrass), profiled in the Wild Edible Series: AK, AZ, CO, KS, MS, NM, OK (and others).
Snip the entire panicle (with 2”–3” of stem) from the grass in late August – too soon and the seeds will not be mature; too late and they will have fallen. Place the panicles in a paper bag and set them aside for about a week. Strip the seeds from the stems by pinching low on the bunch and pulling towards the top.
A passage from Wild Edible Plants of New Mexico:
Compared to Indian ricegrass, the seeds are easy to process (but much smaller). Enjoy the whole seed (crunchy–mildly nutty) solo, or sprinkled on salads, meat, etc. They too are fine for flour/meal/gruel/sun–dried cakes. Nutritious, they contain, good amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fats.
Author, Researcher, Clinician. Latest titles: Wild Edible Plants of Oklahoma, 2nd ed., Wild Edible Plants of Arizona, 2nd ed., and Wild Edible Plants of Arkansas, 2nd. ed.
