Carpetgrasses often occur together in flatwoods, even in standing water. Axonopus furcatus, big carpet grass, and Axonopus fissifolius, common carpetgrass, are very similar in appearance. A. furcatus spikelets are smooth; A. fissifolius spikelets have hairs.
It is clump forming and spreading; stems flattened, erect to 3 ft. tall; leaf blades flat or folded, 6-11 in. long, 1/4 in. (A. fissifolius) to 1/2 in. (A. furcatus) wide; rounded at tip, margins with 1-4 long straight hairs at base, or frequently A. furcatus will have short, stiff hairs along entire margin; ligules with short stiff hairs, entire margins; ligules with short stiff haris; inflorescences 2-4 spike-like branches 1-5 in. long, forked at top of stem; spikelets alternate, 2 rows on each branch; flowers only on lower side of inflorescence branches
