New Mexico State University
College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences | ACES
NMSU: Selected Plants of Navajo Rangelands

Selected Plants of Navajo Rangelands

Diné bikéyah Chi’l nooséłígíí Bąąhą́ą́nosin
Take care of our Navajo Rangelands

Muhly, spike

Bé’ézhóó’ tsahí
Green spikelet displaying typical pattern of seeds and interrupted patches
Russ Kleinman, Bill Norris, Karen Blisard, & Denise Friedrick

Spike muhly rates high in palatability for all livestock. It is most abundant on rocky soils and in mountain meadows at elevations from 3,800 to 9,000 feet.

Abundant spike muhly on rangeland in good condition needs only moderate grazing for maintenance. Depleted ranges may need summer deferment.

This perennial bunchgrass reaches heights of 8 to 24 inches. Clumps are generally 1 to 2 feet wide. The grass has a very narrow seedhead that has a distinctive feature: the seeds do not occur continuously, but are sometimes interrupted by bare areas. There is one floret per spikelet.

Dry spikelet showing the interrupted pattern of seeds along the axis
Russ Kleinman
Close-up of seed spikelet
Russ Kleinman
Clumpy growth habit
Russ Kleinman, Bill Norris, Karen Blisard, & Denise Friedrick
Thick green/brown seedhead at the top of a single green grass stem, with other stems and seedheads in the background.
Max Licher
Scientific Name
Muhlenbergia wrightii
Plant Type
Grass / Grasslike
Growing Season
Warm Season
Habitats
  • Piñon-Juniper Woodland
  • Grasslands
Other Traits
✓
Good for livestock

For definitions, see the glossary.

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Individual photographers retain all rights to their images.
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