Which statement correctly differentiates Hairy crabgrass from Smooth crabgrass?

Which statement correctly differentiates Hairy crabgrass from Smooth crabgrass?

• A. Seeds produced on 3-12 fingerlike segments at tip of stems; NO hairs on leaf surface
• B. Leaves are purple
• C. Has a taproot containing milky juice
• D. Hairy crabgrass has hairs on leaf surface

Answer: (D)

The main point here is how to tell Hairy crabgrass from Smooth crabgrass in the field: look at the leaf surface. Hairy crabgrass has hairs on the leaf blade, giving a rough or fuzzy feel, while Smooth crabgrass has a hairless, smooth leaf surface. This single, observable trait is the most reliable way to tell them apart in person. The other statements aren’t dependable differentiators—seedhead characteristics or leaf color aren’t consistent clues, and milky sap or taproot traits aren’t characteristic features used to separate these two. So the statement that Hairy crabgrass has hairs on the leaf surface is the correct differentiator.

The main point here is how to tell Hairy crabgrass from Smooth crabgrass in the field: look at the leaf surface. Hairy crabgrass has hairs on the leaf blade, giving a rough or fuzzy feel, while Smooth crabgrass has a hairless, smooth leaf surface. This single, observable trait is the most reliable way to tell them apart in person. The other statements aren’t dependable differentiators—seedhead characteristics or leaf color aren’t consistent clues, and milky sap or taproot traits aren’t characteristic features used to separate these two. So the statement that Hairy crabgrass has hairs on the leaf surface is the correct differentiator.