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- Muhlenbergia sylvatica
Muhlenbergia sylvatica — woodland muhly
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New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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Facts
Woodland muhly inhabits forests, streamsides and shaded ledges throughout New England.
Habitat
Forests, ridges or ledges, shores of rivers or lakes
Characteristics
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Leaf blade width
- 3–7 mm
- Inflorescence branches
- the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence
- Spikelet length
- 0.8–3.5 mm
- Glume relative length
-
- neither glume is quite as long as all of the florets
- one or both glumes are as long or longer than all of the florets
- Awn on glume
- the glume has an awn
- One or more florets
- there is one floret per spikelet
- Lemma awn length
- 5–18 mm
- Leaf sheath hair type
- there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
- Leaf ligule length
- 1–2.5 mm
- Anther length
- 0.4–0.8 mm
-
Flowers
- Anther length
- 0.4–0.8 mm
- Anther number
- 3
- Awn on glume
- the glume has an awn
- Floret lower bract texture
- the lemma is thin and flexible
- Glume relative length
-
- neither glume is quite as long as all of the florets
- one or both glumes are as long or longer than all of the florets
- Glume veins
-
- 1
- 3
- Inflorescence arrangement
- the spikelets are uniform
- Inflorescence axis orientation
-
- the inflorescence axis is arched or curved outward
- the inflorescence axis is straight
- Inflorescence branches
- the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence
- Inflorescence crowding
- the panicle is somewhat to very congested (crowded), and the branches may not be clearly seen without close inspection
- Inflorescence length
- 60–210 mm
- Inflorescence type (general)
- the spikelets are borne on stalks or on branches
- Inflorescence type (specific)
- the inflorescence is branched, and the branches do NOT both grow from the same side of the plant AND look like spikes
- Lemma awn base
- the awn is attached right at the tip of the lemma
- Lemma awn length
- 5–18 mm
- Lemma awn number
- the lemma has one awn on it
- Lemma base hairs
- the lemma has hairs at the base
- Lemma cross-section
- the lemma is V-shaped if you cut across the midpoint
- Lemma surface
- the surface of the lemma is relatively smooth (not counting any longitudinal veins or hairs)
- Lemma vein number
- 3
- One or more florets
- there is one floret per spikelet
- Palea relative length
- palea is one half to fully as long as lemma
- Spikelet axis tip
- there is no extension of the spikelet axis beyond the tip of the spikelet
- Spikelet length
- 0.8–3.5 mm
- Spikelet pedicel length
- 0.8–3.5 mm
- Spikelets spiny
- the spikelets do not appear spiny
- Upper glume shape
- the upper glume is widest at or below the middle
-
Growth form
- Rhizomes
- yes
-
Leaves
- Leaf auricles
- the leaves do not have auricles
- Leaf blade width
- 3–7 mm
- Leaf ligule length
- 1–2.5 mm
- Leaf ligule type
- the leaf ligule is in the form of a membrane with fine hairs
- Leaf sheath closed around stem
- the margins of the leaf sheath are overlapping and not fused together except in the basal half (or less)
- Leaf sheath hair type
- there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
- Leaf sheath hairs
- there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- forests
- ridges or ledges
- shores of rivers or lakes
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Roots at lower stem nodes
- no
- Stem hairs
- the stem has hairs on it
- Stem spacing
- the stems grow singly or a few together (they may form diffuse colonies)
Wetland status
Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)
New England distribution and conservation status
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- fairly widespread (S-rank: S4)
- Vermont
- extremely rare (S-rank: S1)
Native to North America?
Yes
Sometimes confused with
- Muhlenbergia mexicana:
- ligule 0.4–1 mm long, pedicels up to 2 mm long, and anthers 0.3–0.5 mm long (vs. M. sylvatica, with the ligule 1–2.5 mm long, pedicels 0.8–3.5 mm long, and anthers 0.4–0.8 mm long).
Synonyms
- Agrostis sylvatica Torr. ex Gray
- Muhlenbergia sylvatica Torr. ex Gray var. robusta Fern.
Family
Genus
From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae
10. Muhlenbergia sylvatica Torr. ex Gray N
woodland muhly. Agrostis sylvatica Torr. ex Gray; Muhlenbergia sylvatica Torr. ex Gray var. robusta Fern. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Forests, stream courses, shaded ledges.