Taxon Report

Muhlenbergia arsenei Hitchc.

tough muhly

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Taxon Summary

Muhlenbergia arsenei, commonly known as tough muhly, is a perennial rhizomatous herb in the Poaceae that is found in California and elsewhere. It occurs within Pinyon and juniper woodland (carbonate, and rocky), growing at elevations from 1400 to 1860 meters. Muhlenbergia arsenei is ranked 2B.3, Plants Rare, Threatened, or Endangered in California, But More Common Elsewhere; Not very threatened in California.


  Classification

Scientific Name:
Muhlenbergia arsenei Hitchc.
Common Name:
tough muhly
Family: Poaceae
Element Code: PMPOA48060
USDA Plants Symbol: MUAR4
Synonyms/Other Names:

Ecology and Life History

Lifeform: perennial rhizomatous herb
Blooming Period: Aug-Oct Aug-Oct
Elevation: 1400-1860 (4595-6105)
General Habitats: Pinyon and juniper woodland
Microhabitat:
Microhabitat Details:

Occurrence Data from the CNDDB

Total Occurrences: 6
Element Occurrence Ranks:
   Excellent (A) 0
   Good (B) 1
   Fair (C) 0
   Poor (D) 0
   None (X) 0
   Unknown (U) 5
California Endemic:  False
California Counties and Islands: Name (Code)
San Bernardino (SBD)
Quads: Name (Quad Code)
Clark Mtn. (3511555), Ivanpah (3511533), Mescal Range (3511545), Pinto Valley (3511523)

Threat List Data from the CNDDB

Threat List Total: 4
EOs with Threat Listed: Total EOs % of EOs
1 17 %
Development 1 16%
Logging 1 16%
Mining 1 16%
ORV activity 1 16%

Notes

Known in CA only from the Clark and New York mountains.
Threats:
Taxonomy:
Citation California Native Plant Society, Rare Plant Program. 2025. Rare Plant Inventory (online edition, v9.5.1). Website https://www.rareplants.cnps.org [accessed 24 June 2025].