Muhlenbergia capillaris

Muhlenbergia capillaris
Photo by John R. Gwaltney, Southeastern Flora.com
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Tracheophyta- Vascular plants
Class:	Lilianeae -Monocotyledons
Order:	Poales
Family:	Poaceae
Genus:	Muhlenbergia
Species:	M. capillaris
Binomial name
Muhlenbergia capillaris (Lam.) Trin.
Natural range of Muhlenbergia capillaris from USDA NRCS Plants Database.

Common names: Hairawn muhly

Taxonomic notes

Synonym: Muhlenbergia capillaris (Lam.) Trin. var. capillaris

Description

"Perennials. Blades usually scaberulous on both surfaces and margins; sheath margins scarious, at least apically; ligules scarious, erose or erose-ciliate. Spikelets 1-flowered. Glumes equaling or shorter than lemmas, lemmas not indurate. Grain enclosed by lemma and palea at maturity." - Radford et al 1964

"Cespitose perennial; culms 5-12 dm tall, nodes and internodes glabrous. Leaves primarily basal; blades flat or involute, to 3 dm long, 103 mm wide; sheaths scaberulous; ligules 2-5 mm long. Panicle open, diffuse, delicate, 2-5 dm long, 1-2 dm broad; branches capillary, spreading, scaberulous. Spikelets usually purplish, lanceolate to narrowly ellipsoid, 4-5 mm long excluding awn; pedicels capillary, spreading, scaberulous. Glumes usually 1-nerved, usually scaberulous on midrib, scarious, 1st glume body 0.3-1.2 mm long, awn 0.3-1.2 mm long, 2nd glume body 1-1.5 mm long, awn 1-1.5 mm long; lemmas purplish, 3-nerved, scaberulous, body 3-4 mm long, awns 3-12 mm long; paleas purplish, faintly nerved, acuminate, 3-4 mm long. Grain purplish, narrowly ellipsoid, 2-2.4 mm long." - Radford et al 1964

Ecology

Seed dispersal

According to Kay Kirkman, a plant ecologist, this species disperses by gravity.

References and notes

Radford, Albert E., Harry E. Ahles, and C. Ritchie Bell. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. 1964, 1968. The University of North Carolina Press. 107. Print.