Muhlenbergia capillaris

Appearance

Individuals of this species are grouped into shrubs of “capillary”-like branching pattern with green leaves covering the understory and pink flowers outgrowing them. The muhly grass is a cespitose perennial that grows to be 30–90 cm tall and 60–90 cm wide. The blades are rolled, flat to involute during maturity and are about 15–35 cm long and 1.3–3.5 mm wide at the base with tapering or filiform tips. The sterns are erect or decumbent at the base of the shrub. The leaves are inflorescence and narrow with a contracted or open panicle of small spikelets, each spikelet being 1-flowered and rarely 2-flowered. The wiry, thin leaves are simple and alternating from the stem; they grow to be about 18–36 inches long. The flowers of the grass are grouped together, forming long, airy clusters along a stem that rises above the leaves to a length of about 18 inches and width of 10 inches .

Flowers of ''Muhlenbergia capillaris'', are perfect with each having about 2 or 3 stamens and anthers that are about 1-1.8 mm long. Spikelets are found on the long hair-like pedicels that are clavate-thickened at the apex and are slightly scabrous. The glumes are found to be unequal, and are either longer or shorter than the lemma. The lemma is obtuse to acuminate or awned, while the membranous lemma is narrow, acute, mucronate or awned, and usually pilose at the base. The flowers grow during the fall season, especially from September to October, and are usually colored pink or purplish-red. They mature from the bottom up. The plant is a “warm-season” plant, and therefore it starts growing during the summer and is in full bloom during the autumn months. The seed stalks are 60–150 cm tall. The flowers produce oblong tan or brown seeds that are less than half an inch long. The plants grow in clumps but do not spread through above-ground or underground stems.

Distribution

''Muhlenbergia capillaris'' can be found in sandy or rocky woods and clearings originating from a range of host states, which include Florida to eastern Texas, north to Massachusetts, New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, Kentucky, south Indiana, Missouri and Kansas. However, it is endangered in Connecticut, Indiana, Maryland, and New Jersey, and is said to have vanished from Pennsylvania and almost certainly Ohio. The muhly grows along the border of roads and in plain prairies. The grass clumps into herds, causing bush-like establishments in the area that the hairawn muhly inhabits.

Habitat

''Muhlenbergia capillaris'' can be found in sandy or rocky woods and clearings originating from a range of host states, which include Florida to eastern Texas, north to Massachusetts, New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, Kentucky, south Indiana, Missouri and Kansas. However, it is endangered in Connecticut, Indiana, Maryland, and New Jersey, and is said to have vanished from Pennsylvania and almost certainly Ohio. The muhly grows along the border of roads and in plain prairies. The grass clumps into herds, causing bush-like establishments in the area that the hairawn muhly inhabits.