Taxon Report

Muhlenbergia utilis (Torr.) Hitchc.

aparejo grass

Print Report

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:

Ecology and Life History


Lifeform:	perennial rhizomatous herb
Blooming Period: Mar-Oct	Mar-Oct
Elevation:	25-2325 (80-7630)
General Habitats:	Chaparral, Cismontane woodland, Coastal scrub, Marshes and swamps, Meadows and seeps
Microhabitat:	Alkaline (sometimes), Serpentine (sometimes)
Microhabitat Details:

Conservation Status


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

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB


Total Occurrences:	14
Element Occurrence Ranks:
Excellent (A)	0
Good (B)	0
Fair (C)	0
Poor (D)	0
None (X)	1
Unknown (U)	13

Location


California Endemic: False
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)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB


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

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:

Selected References

CRPR List Addition on 2019-07-10

Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 27 January 2025].