Muhlenbergia pungens

HABIT Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes elongated; scaly. Culms 20–50(–60) cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5–1 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform; involute; 2–4 cm long; 1 mm wide; stiff. Leaf-blade apex pungent.

INFLORESCENCE Inflorescence a panicle.

Panicle open; ovate; effuse; 8–18 cm long. Primary panicle branches 3–5 in number.

Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 10–25 mm long.

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; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.5–2.5 mm long; 0.8 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface asperulous. Lower glume apex erose; acute; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 0.5–1 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.7–3 mm long; 0.5–0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface asperulous. Upper glume apex erose; acute; mucronate, or awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 0.5–1 mm long.

FLORETS Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3–4 mm long; membranous; purple; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scaberulous; rough above. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 1–1.5(–2) mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea apex with excurrent keel veins.

FLOWER Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 2–2.5 mm long; purple.

FRUIT Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform.

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

NOTES Eragrostideae. Gould.

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