Muhlenbergia asperifolia

Muhlenbergia asperifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
(unranked): Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Muhlenbergia
Species: M. asperifolia
Binomial name
Muhlenbergia asperifolia
(Nees & Meyen ex Trin.) Parodi

Muhlenbergia asperifolia is a species of grass known by the common names alkali muhly and scratchgrass. It is native to much of North America, including most of southern Canada, most of the continental United States except for the southeastern region, and parts of northern Mexico. It is also known from South America.

Description

Muhlenbergia asperifolia is a rhizomatous perennial grass growing decumbent or spreading or erect up to about 60 cm (2 ft) tall. The inflorescence is a very open, wispy array of many hair-thin, outstretched branches each up to 14 centimeters long. The spikelets at the tips of the branches are only 1 or 2 millimeters long.

Cultivation

Muhlenbergia asperifolia is a valuable grass for habitat restoration and revegetation projects in disturbed habitat in the southwest United States, especially in riparian zones in California and the Intermountain West.[1]

It is planted with alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides) for Mojave River and other riparian zone restoration in the Mojave Desert.[2] It produces dense groundcover once established.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Johnson, Kathleen A. (2000). "Sporobolus airoides". Fire Effects Information System (FEIS). US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service (USFS), Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory – via https://www.feis-crs.org/feis/.
  2. ↑ Hershdorfer, M.; Garner, R. (March 2006). "Sporobolus airoides and Muhlenbergia asperifolia: Population developments for southern Nevada" (PDF). USDA.


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