Kingdom Plantae Family Poaceae Scientific name Muhlenbergia asperifolia Rank Species | Order Poales Genus Muhlenbergia Higher classification Muhlenbergia | |
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Similar Muhlenbergia, Grasses, Muhlenbergia richardsonis, Muhlenbergia minutissima, Muhlenbergia racemosa | ||
Muhlenbergia asperifolia is a species of grass known by the common names alkali muhly and scratchgrass. It is native to much of North America, including most of southern Canada, most of the continental United States except for the southeastern region, and parts of northern Mexico. It is also known from South America.
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Description
Muhlenbergia asperifolia is a rhizomatous perennial grass growing decumbent or spreading or erect up to about 60 centimeters tall. The inflorescence is a very open, wispy array of many hair-thin, outstretched branches each up to 14 centimeters long. The spikelets at the tips of the branches are only 1 or 2 millimeters long.
Cultivation
Muhlenbergia asperifolia is a valuable grass for habitat restoration and revegetation projects in disturbed habitat in the Southwest United States, especially in riparian zones in California and the Intermountain West.
It is planted with Sporobolus airoides - Alkali sacaton for Mojave River and other Riparian zone restoration in the Mojave Desert. It produces dense groundcover once established.
