The
bunchgrass is native to North America, where it can be found throughout the south-western United States, from the southern
Great Basin and Four Corners region to the northern
Mexican Plateau and
Baja California Peninsula. Specifically, Muhlenbergii porteri naturally occurs in ecoregions including the
California deserts, the
Great Plains from far southern Colorado into western Texas, and the
Chihuahuan Desert. It grows at elevations of , in rocky and shrubby
habitats including
shadscale scrub,
creosote bush scrub, desert grassland, and
Joshua Tree woodlands. ==Description==