GRAMIHEAE 



one of the dominant grasses. It is. almost constantly and abundantly 

 associated with Fostuca arizonica and Bl ephar oneur on tricholcpis . 

 It is a bunch grass with hard base and abundant roots. The leaves 

 tly basal. To obtain pure seed hand strippers must be used 

 but power machinery may be used to obtain mixtures of the above- 

 mentioned species. It is probably better to plant seed in the fall, 

 broadcasting perhaps five or six pounds to the acre. For our use 

 the value of this species is negligible as it grows at altitudes at 

 which we do not have projocts. This year, however, we will have 

 some seed colloctcd and expect to give it a trial at Albuquerque 

 and Shiprock next season. 



* MuhIonbc rgia virescens, Gcrewlcaf Muhly, closely resembles 

 IT. montr.na and may be considered its southern couterpart. It is 

 confined to the higher mountains of central and southern New Mexico 

 and Arizona to central Mexico, This is a very important grass on 

 the higher slopes of the Kuachucas. 



I luhl enbe rgia racemosa, the Harsh Muhly, may be considered 

 a truly eastern grass. It extends from Ilewf oundland to British 

 Columbia and south to Arizona. In fact it grows in practically all 

 states of tne Union except those of the true south and California. 

 It is a ratner loosely tufted grass with numerous broad leaves and 

 slender culms, a mass of rhizomatous roots, and contrary to the 

 common name, grows in many places that are not swampy such as sandy 

 bottoms of canyons. It is, however, not very drought resistant, 



* : luhl enbergia rigida, the Purple Muhly, is confined to rocky, 

 gravelly foothills and mountain slopes from Texas to Arizona and 

 northern Mexico. It is a beautiful bunch grass, 1-g- to 2 feet tall 

 with dark purple, widely spreading panicles. Very little is known 

 regarding its pal ratability. What has been termed M, rigida grows 

 in pure stands in the San Rafael valley in southern Arizona where 

 it constitutes practically a pure stand and is an excellent erosion 

 control grass. 



Muh lenbergia torreyi and M. a r en i cola are called Ring grasses. 

 M. torreyi is commonly much shorter, - 4 to 8 inches tall,- while 

 K, arenicola occasionally reaches a height of 1-g feet. Both are 

 exceedingly common in the plains and mesas of western Texas, New 

 Mexico and Arizona. The dense bunches of purple panicles make 

 these grasses very showy. An abundance of these grasses is a 

 definite indication of an overgrazed condition on the range. They 

 are unpalatable but (airly good erosion control plants. 



Muhlenbergia arizonica, the Arizona Muhly, is relatively 



-C9~ 



