Taxon Details

Muhlenbergia utilis

aparejo grass

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Taxon Summary:

Muhlenbergia utilis, commonly known as aparejo grass, is a perennial rhizomatous herb in the Poaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Chaparral, Cismontane woodland, Coastal scrub, Marshes and swamps, and Meadows and seeps, growing at elevations from 25 to 2325 meters. Muhlenbergia utilis is ranked 2B.2, Plants Rare, Threatened, or Endangered in California, But More Common Elsewhere; Moderately threatened in California.

Classification

Scientific Name: Muhlenbergia utilis (Torr.) Hitchc.
Common Name: aparejo grass
Family:	Poaceae
Element Code:	PMPOA481X0
USDA Plants Symbol:	MUUT
Synonyms/Other Names:
Name Status:	JEF, FNA, POWO, IPNI, Tropicos

Conservation Status

CA Rare Plant Rank:	2B.2
Fed List:	None
State List:	None
Global Rank:	G4
State Rank:	S2S3
Other Status:
CRPR Changes: added to 2B.2 on 2019-07-10
Add Date:	2019-07-10
Date Edited:	2021-07-14

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: perennial rhizomatous herb

Blooming Period: Mar-Oct

Elevation:
25 - 2325 meters
80 - 7630 feet

General Habitats:

Chaparral
Cismontane woodland
Coastal scrub
Meadows and seeps
Marshes and swamps

Microhabitat Details:

Microhabitat:

Alkaline (sometimes)
Serpentine (sometimes)

Notes

Notes: Threatened by development. Potentially threatened by grazing. See Pacif. Railr. Rep. 5(2):365-366 (1857) for original description, and Journal of the Washington Academy of Sciences 23(10):453 (1933) for revised nomenclature.
Threats:
Taxonomy:

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

THREAT LIST:
Threat List Total:	2
	Total EOs	% of EOs
EOs with Threat Listed:	6	43 %
Grazing	5	35%
Development	1	7%

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Element Occurrence Ranks:
Total Occurrences:					14
A	B	C	D	X	U
0	0	0	0	1	13

Occurrence Status:
Historical >20 Years	8
Recent <=20 Years	6

Presence:
Presumed Extant	13
Possibly Extirpated	0
Presumed Extirpated	1

Location

California Endemic:

California Island:

States: Name (Code)
Arizona (AZ), California (CA), Nevada (NV), New Mexico (NM), Sonora, Mexico (SO), Texas (TX)

California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
Fresno (FRE), Inyo (INY), Kern (KRN), Monterey (MNT), San Bernardino (SBD), San Luis Obispo (SLO), Santa Barbara (SBA), Ventura (VEN)

Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Burnett Peak (3512172), Burro Mountain (3512173), Florence Lake (3711838), Guasti (3411715), Kearsarge Peak (3611873), La Liebre Ranch (3411876), Liebre Twins (3411885), Los Alamos (3412063), Old Man Mountain (3411954), Ontario (3411716), San Luis Obispo (3512036), Sand Spring (3711725), Sisquoc (3412073), Tar Spring Ridge (3512024), Ward Mountain (3711828), White Ledge Peak (3411944), Winters Ridge (3411886)

Notes:

Definitions of codes following a county and/or quad:
*		Presumed extirpated
(?)		Occurrence confirmed, but possibly extirpated
Quad and county data is imported from the CNDDB. Species may be present in other areas where conditions are favorable. These data should NOT be substituted for pre-project review or for on-site surveys.

Regional Map

Map

Presumed Extant

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CNPS Rare Plant Inventory