Talk:Muhlenbergia pungens/Temp

Muhlenbergia pungens, commonly known as sandhill muhly or wickiup grass, is a perennial bunchgrass native to Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, and South Dakota. 'M. pungens is a true grass of the Poaceae family, and, like other members of the Muhlenbergia'' genus, its narrow, flat-bladed leaves are green and its flowers are yellow.

Description
M. pungens is a perennial that grows to 4 to 24 in tall. Its shoots arise from rhizomes covered in imbricated scales with short internodes. Its growth habit is typical of the genus, forming large mounds of grass, sometimes growing in a ring pattern aournd a center of dead growth.

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Ligules are 0.2 to 1 mm long, with lateral lobes. The panicle is open, with a red or purple tinge. It has very pale and rigid leaves. The leaf blades are rolled inward, and are very narrow and sharply tipped. They are 1 to 2.5 in long and smooth or with fine hairs.

Habitat and uses
Sandhill muhly is found on loose sand near dunes, on desert flats, and in desert shrub and open woodland communities. In Utah, sandhill muhly mostly grows on sand at elevations of 3500 to 6500 ft in communities of desert shrubs and pinyon-junipers. The grass is common in sandy prairies in Nebraska. The grass there is found on the higher hills, and particularly on the edge of "blow-outs". In Arizona it is found in Apache, Navajo and Coconino counties, common on sandy mesas at 5000 to 7000 ft.

The grass grows during the spring and blooms in late summer. It does not tolerate shade. Sandhill muhly does not seem to be affected by grazing. Prairie fires cause the sandhill muhly to decline. It reduces wind erosion in very sandy areas. Although it is of little value as forage for livestock or other grazing animals, the Hopi people of Arizona reportedly used the plant to make brushes.