Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains
63. Poaceae, the Grass Family
18. Muhlenbergia Schreb. -- Muhly5. Muhlenbergia richardsonis (Trin.) Rydb. -- Mat muhly
Low, loosely tufted perennial from slender scaly rhizomes, (1)2-5 dm tall; culms slender, erect or decumbent at the base. Leaves usually involute, 1-5 cm long, 0.2-1 mm wide; sheaths glabrous, the ligule elongate, erose, 1-2 mm long. Panicle narrow, few-flowered, interrupted or continuous, spikelike, not glomerulate, 2-5(9) cm long. Spikelets uncrowded, green or grayish; glumes subequal, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acute, 1/3 to 1/2 as long as the floret; lemma lanceolate, mucronate, 2-3 mm long; anthers 1-1.5 mm long. Grain dark brown, ellipsoid, 1.2-1.5 mm long. Mid Jul--Sep. Low prairie, wet meadows and seepage areas, often where alkaline or saline; common in ND and ne SD, otherwise scattered s; (N.B. and ME to Alta., s to MI, MN, NE, NM, AZ and Baja CA).
Muhlenbergia richardsonis (from Hitchcock 1950). |
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