Muhlenbergia dumosa

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; scaly. Culms erect; 30–150(–300) cm long; woody. Lateral branches fastigiate; arising from upper culm. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5 mm long; erose; truncate. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; flat, or convolute; 2–5(–10) cm long; 0.5–1.5 mm wide.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open, or contracted; linear, or lanceolate; 1–3(–4) cm long.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels oblong.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 2–2.2 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 1–1.3 mm long; 0.75–0.9 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 0.5–1 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.3–1.5 mm long; 0.7–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.6–1(–2) mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2–2.2 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn (3–)5–11 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1.2–1.3 mm long.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southwest USA and Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Fl Nov Gal.

Please cite this publication as detailed in How to Cite Version: 3rd February 2016.