Muhlenbergia capillaris (Lam.).
Hairawn Muhly

Habit: 		Tufted perennial.
Culms: 		Erect, 60-100 cm. tall, wiry, smooth or nearly so, in small or large tufts.
Blades: 	Elongate 10-40 cm. long, flat or involute, 1-4 mm. wide, rigid, taper-pointed.
Sheaths: 	Upper long and often sheathing the base of the panicle, the lower short, overlapping,
		scaberulous at least towards the summit and with auricles mostly 3-5 mm. long.
Ligule: 	Membranous, about 4 mm. long.
Inflorescence: 	Panicle purple, one third to one half the height of the plant, oblong,
		diffuse, the branches capillary, flexuous, the branchlets and pedicels
		finally spreading, the latter 15-30 mm. long.
Spikelets: 	Excluding awns 3-4 mm. long, 1-flowered, acute, lanceolate, purple,
		rachilla disarticulating above the glumes.
Glumes: 	Subequal, acute, or the second awn-pointed or short-awned (to 2 mm),
		half as long as the lemma keeled.
Lemmas: 	Exclusive of awn about 4 mm. long, linear-lanceolate, 3-nerved, somewhat
		scabrous, minutely hairy below on the callus and with a delicate scabrous awn 6-18 mm. long.
Palea: 		About as long as the lemma, narrow, acute.
Habitat: 	Dry, rocky or sandy soil.  September-October.
Kansas Range:	Elk and Chautauqua counties.