Muhlenbergia glauca

HABIT Perennial. Rhizomes elongated; scaly. Culms slender; 25–60 cm long. Culm-internodes distally hispid; with reflexed hairs. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode; without keel; pubescent. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5–1(–2) mm long; erose, or lacerate; truncate. Leaf-blades 4–12 cm long; 3–6 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle contracted; linear; interrupted; 4–10 cm long; 0.3–0.6 cm wide. Primary panicle branches appressed. Panicle branches scabrous.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; scabrous.

FERTILE SPIKELETS Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 3–4 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.

GLUMES Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet, or reaching apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume elliptic; 1.5–3.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scabrous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex attenuate. Upper glume elliptic; 1.5–3.5 mm long; 0.5–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scabrous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex attenuate.

FLORETS Fertile lemma elliptic; 3–4 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy below. Lemma apex acute; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0.5–3 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 2 mm long; orange.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform.

DISTRIBUTION North America: southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gould.

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