General: Bush Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia porteri) is a locally common, large, bushy grass that grows in individual clumps (bunches) in the deserts around Las Vegas. Almost always, however, it grows from within a shrub that helps hold up the grass stems. Bush Muhly grows to about 3.5-feet tall and just as wide. Leaves are long and narrow. Stems grow in short segments, and each segment angles away from the previous segment, sometimes forming a zig-zag pattern, and other times forming a circle. Each joint forms a small knot. Flowering stems grow erect with long (to 6 inches), open seedheads. Flowers are reddish.

The angled stems with tiny knots are unique in our region.

Bush Muhly Grass is component of vegetation associations in the Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub) life zone. This species is particularly common in the Mojave Desert grasslands of Avi Kwa Ame National Monument.

Family: Grass (Poaceae).

Plant Form: Perennial grass. Grows upright in bunches, but usually from within shrubs.

Height: To about 3 feet.

Stems: Stems grow spreading outward to upward. The stems grow in short segments, and each segment angles away from the previous segment, sometimes forming a zig-zag pattern, and other times forming a circle.

Leaves: Leaves are long and narrow (to 80-mm long, to 2-mm wide); often folded. Ligules are short (to 2.5-mm long).

Flowers: Inflorescence open and spreading (to 15-cm long and nearly as wide). Spikelets reddish. Awn to 30-mm long.

Habitat: Sandy and rocky soils.

Elevation: To about 5,000 feet.

Distribution: Southern California to southern Utah and northern New Mexico, south into central Mexico.

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