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
Contents
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." [1]
"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." [1]
Distribution
Ecology
Seed dispersal
According to Kay Kirkman, a plant ecologist, this species disperses by gravity. [2]
