Poaceae
Muhlenbergia

Muhlenbergia depauperata Scribn.

First published in Bot. Gaz. 9: 187 (1884)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Arizona to W. Colorado and Mexico. It is an annual and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

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]

Morphology General Habit
Annual; caespitose. Culms 3-15 cm long. Culm-internodes distally hirsute. Lateral branches ample; arising from lower culm. Leaf-sheaths keeled; striately veined; smooth, or antrorsely scabrous. Leaf-sheath auricles erect. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 1.5-4.5 mm long; lacerate. Leaf-blades 1-2(-3) cm long; 0.5-1(-1.5) mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib conspicuous. Leaf-blade surface scabrous; glabrous, or hirsute. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle contracted; linear; dense; 2-7 cm long; 0.2-0.5 cm wide. Primary panicle branches bearing 2-3 fertile spikelets on each lower branch; bearing spikelets almost to the base. Panicle axis bearing persistent branches, or deciduous branches. Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; heteromorphic (shorter awned at base of branch). Pedicels linear.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 2.5-3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity, or falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures; disarticulating or below each fertile floret.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; laterally compressed; 2.5-3.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity, or falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures; disarticulating or below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; similar to fertile lemma in texture. Lower glume linear; 2.5-3.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 2 -veined. Lower glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Lower glume apex dentate; 2 -fid; acute. Upper glume linear; 2.5-3.5 mm long; 1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume surface scabrous; rough on veins. Upper glume apex acuminate, or attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.5-3.5 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma surface scabrous; rough above; pubescent; hairy below; hairy between veins. Lemma apex attenuate; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn 0-10 mm long overall. Palea 1 length of lemma; 2 -veined.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3; 0.5-0.8 mm long; yellow.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; fusiform; 2 mm long.
Distribution
North America: southwest USA, south-central USA, and Mexico.
Reference
Eragrostideae. Gould.
[GB]

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 2026. 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 2026. 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