Poaceae
Muhlenbergia

Muhlenbergia sericea (Michx.) P.M.Peterson

First published in Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 41: 167 (2001)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is SE. U.S.A. to Texas. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose; clumped densely. Culms 70-160 cm long. Culm-internodes distally glabrous. Leaf-sheaths without keel; glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1-2(-10) mm long. Leaf-blades curved; involute; 40-100 cm long; 1-2 mm wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; oblong; effuse; 30-70 cm long; 20-30 cm wide. Primary panicle branches spreading. Panicle branches capillary. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4-5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 4-5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.5-1 mm long; 0.5-0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Lower glume awn 1-5 mm long. Upper glume lanceolate; 1-1.5 mm long; 0.33 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute; awned; 1 -awned. Upper glume awn 5-19 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3-4(-5) mm long; membranous; without keel; 3 -veined. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; with lobes 1-3 mm long; incised 0.33-0.5 of lemma length; setaceously attenuate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn flexuous; 11-26 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Palea apex with excurrent keel veins.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 1.5-2 mm long; purple.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform.
Distribution
North America: south-central USA and southeast .
Reference
Eragrostideae. Gould.
[GB]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0