Poaceae
Cenchrus

Cenchrus spinifex Cav.

First published in Icon. 5: 38 (1799)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Central & S. U.S.A. to Tropical & Subtropical America. It is an annual or perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome. It is used as a medicine and for food.

Distribution

Native to:

Alabama, Argentina Northeast, Argentina Northwest, Argentina South, Arizona, Arkansas, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil South, California, Cayman Is., Chile North, Colombia, Colorado, Costa Rica, Cuba, District of Columbia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Florida, Georgia, Haiti, Honduras, Illinois, Jamaica, Kentucky, Leeward Is., Louisiana, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Nicaragua, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Panamá, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Turks-Caicos Is., Uruguay, Venezuelan Antilles, Virginia, Windward Is.

Introduced into:

Austria, Azores, Bangladesh, Cape Provinces, Corse, France, Free State, Germany, Greece, Inner Mongolia, Italy, Japan, KwaZulu-Natal, Libya, Maine, Manchuria, Mozambique, Northern Provinces, Palestine, Spain, Ukraine, Vermont, Yugoslavia

Recorded in error in:

Maryland

Synonyms

Heterotypic Synonyms

Classification

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Publications

POWO follows these authorities in accepting this name:

  • Ackerfield, J. (2015). Flora of Colorado: 1-818. BRIT Press.
  • Dimopoulos, P., Raus, T., Bergmeier, E., Constantinidis, T., Iatrou, G., Kokkini, S., Strid, A., & Tzanoudakis, D. (2013). Vascular plants of Greece. An annotated checklist: 1-372. Botanic gardens and botanical museum Berlin-Dahlem, Berlin and Hellenic botanical society, Athens.
  • Engelmaier, P. & Wilhalm, T. (2018). Alien grasses (Poaceae) in the flora of the Eastern Alps. Neilreichia 9: 177-245.
  • Giraldo-Cañas, D. (2011). Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en Colombia. Darwiniana 49: 139-247.
  • Gutiérrez, H.F. & Morrone, O. (2012). Novedades nomenclaturales en Cenchrus s.l. (Poaceae: Panicoideae: Paniceae). Boletín de la Sociedad Argentina de Botánica 47: 263-269.
  • Hassler, M. & Muer, T. (2022). Flora Germanica: alle Farn- und Blütenpflanzen Deutschlands in Text und Bild 1: 1-864. Verlag Regionalkultur, Uberstadt-Weiher.
  • Knapp, W.M. & Naczi, R.F.C. (2021). Vascular plants of Maryland, USA. A comprehensive account of the state's botanical diversity. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 113: 1-151.
  • Mohlenbrock, R.H. (2014). Vascular Flora of Illinois. A Field Guide, ed. 4: 1-536. Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.
  • Nobis, M. & al. (2017). Contribution to the flora of Asian and European countries: new national and regional vascular plant records, 6. Botany Letters 164: 23-45.
  • Powell, A.M. & Worthington, R.D. (2018). Flowering plants of Trans-Pecos Texas and adjacent areas: 1-1444. BRIT Press.
  • Verloove, F. & Sánchez Gullón, E. (2012). A taxonomic recision of non-native Cenchrus s.str. (Panicae, Poaceae) in the Mediterranean area. Willdenowia 42: 67-75.
  • Vladimirov, V., Aybeke, N. & Kit Tan (eds.) (2017). New floristic records in the Balkans: 32. Phytologia Balcanica 23: 119-146.
  • Werier, D. (2017). Catalogue of the Vascular plants of New York state. Memoirs of the Torrey Botanical Club 27: 1-542. New York Botanical Garden.

An alternative taxonomy had been proposed by the following authorities:

  • Clayton, W.D., Harman, K.T. & Williamson, H. (2006). World Grass Species - Synonymy database The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. [Cited as Cenchrus echinatus.]

Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

  • Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Kew Backbone Distributions

  • Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
  • Ackerfield, J. (2015). Flora of Colorado: 1-818. BRIT Press.
  • Ahmed, Z.U. (ed.) (2008). Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh 12: 1-505. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  • Brako, L. & Zarucchi, J.L. (1993). Catalogue of the Flowering Plants and Gymnosperms of Peru. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 45: i-xl, 1-1286. Missouri Botanical Garden.
  • Clayton, W.D. (1989). Flora Zambesiaca 10(3): 1-231. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Correll, D.S. & Correll, H.B. (1982). Flora of the Bahama Archipelago: 1-1692. J.Cramer, Vaduz.
  • Danin, A. (2004). Distribution Atlas of Plants in the Flora Palaestina area: 1-517. The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Jerusalem.
  • Davidse, G. & al. (eds.) (1994). Flora Mesoamericana 6: 1-543. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F.
  • Dobignard, D. & Chatelain, C. (2010). Index synonymique de la flore d'Afrique du nord 1: 1-455. Éditions des conservatoire et jardin botaniques, Genève.
  • Dávila, P., Mejia-Saulés, M.T., Gómez-Sánchez, N., Valdés-Reyna, J., Ortíz, J.J., Morín, C., Castrejón, J. & Ocampo, A. (2006). Catálogo de las Gramíneas de México: 1-671. CONABIO, México city.
  • Engelmaier, P. & Wilhalm, T. (2018). Alien grasses (Poaceae) in the flora of the Eastern Alps. Neilreichia 9: 177-245.
  • Fedorov, A.A. (ed.) (1999). Flora of Russia. The European part and bordering regions 1: 1-546. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, Broekfield.
  • Forzza, R.C. & al. (2013). Lista de Espécies da Flora do Brasil http://floradobrasil.jbrj.gov.br/2010/.
  • GBIF ( 2021-continuously updated). Global Biodiversity Information Facility http://www.gbif.org/.
  • Germishuizen, G. & Meyer, N.L. (eds.) (2003). Plants of Southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14.: i-vi, 1-1231. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
  • Giraldo-Cañas, D. (2011). Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en Colombia. Darwiniana 49: 139-247.
  • Hassler, M. & Muer, T. (2022). Flora Germanica: alle Farn- und Blütenpflanzen Deutschlands in Text und Bild 1: 1-864. Verlag Regionalkultur, Uberstadt-Weiher.
  • Iwatsuki, K., Boufford, D.E. & Ohba, H. (eds.) (2020). Flora of Japan IVa: 1-430. Kodansha Ltd., Tokyo.
  • Jørgensen, P.M. & León-Yánez, S. (eds.) (1999). Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Ecuador. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 75: i-viii, 1-1181. Missouri Botanical Garden.
  • Knapp, W.M. & Naczi, R.F.C. (2021). Vascular plants of Maryland, USA. A comprehensive account of the state's botanical diversity. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 113: 1-151.
  • Mohlenbrock, R.H. (2014). Vascular Flora of Illinois. A Field Guide, ed. 4: 1-536. Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.
  • Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
  • Nobis, M. & al. (2017). Contribution to the flora of Asian and European countries: new national and regional vascular plant records, 6. Botany Letters 164: 23-45.
  • Renvoize, S.A. (1998). Gramineas de Bolivia: 1-644. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  • Tutin, T.G. & al. (eds.) (1980). Flora Europaea 5: 1-452. Cambridge University Press.
  • USDA, NRCS (2005- continuously updated). Natural Resources Conservation Services Plant Database http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi?earl=checklist.html.
  • Verloove, F. & Sánchez Gullón, E. (2012). A taxonomic recision of non-native Cenchrus s.str. (Panicae, Poaceae) in the Mediterranean area. Willdenowia 42: 67-75.
  • Vladimirov, V., Aybeke, N. & Kit Tan (eds.) (2017). New floristic records in the Balkans: 32. Phytologia Balcanica 23: 119-146.
  • Werier, D. (2017). Catalogue of the Vascular plants of New York state. Memoirs of the Torrey Botanical Club 27: 1-542. New York Botanical Garden.
  • Wu, Z. & Raven, P.H. (eds.) (2006). Poaceae. Flora of China 22: 1-733. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.
  • Zhao, Y.Z., Zhao, L.Q. & Rui, C. (eds.) (2019). Flora Intramongolica, edition 3, 6: 1-619. Typis Intramongolicae popularis, Huhhot.
  • Zuloaga, F.O., Morrone, O. , Belgrano, M.J., Marticorena, C. & Marchesi, E. (eds.) (2008). Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares del Cono Sur. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 107: 1-3348. Missouri Botanical Garden.

Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

  • Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R., & Celis, M. (eds.). (2020). Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia. v1.1. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Dataset/Checklist. https://doi.org/10.15472/7avdhn
  • Diazgranados et al. (2021). Catalogue of plants of Colombia. Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia project. In prep.
  • Diazgranados, M., Allkin, B., Black N., Cámara-Leret, R., Canteiro C., Carretero J., Eastwood R., Hargreaves S., Hudson A., Milliken W., Nesbitt, M., Ondo, I., Patmore, K., Pironon, S., Turner, R., Ulian, T. (2020). World Checklist of Useful Plant Species. Produced by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity.
  • FPI (2021). Food Plants International. https://fms.cmsvr.com/fmi/webd/Food_Plants_World?homeurl=https://foodplantsinternational.com/plants/
  • Medicinal Plant Names Services (MPNS) v.10 (2021); http://mpns.kew.org/

Other Data

Other Kew resources that provide information on this taxon:

Date Reference Identified As Barcode Type Status Has image?
Minier, J.A. [s.n.] United States Cenchrus pauciflorus K001614318 Yes
Shaw, C.E. [W1242] United Kingdom Cenchrus incertus K002927264 Yes
Sohns, E.R. [1304] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K002817579 Yes
Wynd, F.L.; Muller, C.H. [218] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K002817581 Yes
Argentina Cenchrus incertus K000643114 Unknown Type Material Yes
Rogers, F.A. [22466] Cenchrus incertus K002817147 Yes
[F. Arsine] [s.n.] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K002817588 Yes
Stapleton, D. [s.n.] Australia Cenchrus incertus K002928185 Yes
Peterson, P.; Knowles, M.B. [13305] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K002817576 Yes
Bannister, C.W. [s.n.] United Kingdom Cenchrus incertus K002927265 Yes
Dany, J.G.; Dany, C.M. [720/c/c] United Kingdom Cenchrus incertus K002927262 Yes
Palmer, E. [1342] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K002817591 Yes
Pohl, R.W.; Davidse, G. [11905] El Salvador Cenchrus incertus K002817597 Yes
Vaughan, R.E. [s.n.] Cenchrus incertus K002817149 Yes
Hitchcock, A.S. [22349] Peru Cenchrus incertus K000643115 Type Yes
Smith, L.B.; Klein, R.M. [14107] Brazil Cenchrus incertus K001075841 Yes
Schaffner, J.G. [1046] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K002817582 Yes
H. G. [illegible] [1913] Cenchrus incertus K002817148 Yes
Sohns, E.R. [1109] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K002817578 Yes
Hartman, C.V. [815] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K002817590 Yes
Baker, C.F. [2071] Nicaragua Cenchrus incertus K002817599 Yes
s.coll. [s.n.] United States Cenchrus incertus K001056120 Type Yes
Morris (Miss) [s.n.] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K002817587 Yes
Mason, J. [J/67/M8] United Kingdom Cenchrus incertus K002927263 Yes
McCallum-Webster, M. [12946] United States Cenchrus incertus K002817430 Yes
Simon, B.K. [3497] Australia Cenchrus incertus K002928183 Yes
Chase, M.W. [9279] Spain Cenchrus incertus K001069372 Yes
Palmer, E. [349] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K002817585 Yes
Palmer, E. [290] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K002817586 Yes
Pohl, R.W.; Davidse, G. [10685] Costa Rica Cenchrus incertus K002817598 Yes
Moore, H. [K183] Australia Cenchrus incertus K002928182 Yes
Hatschbach, G.G.; Hatschbach, M.M.; Silva, J.M. [61884] Brazil Cenchrus incertus K001075840 Yes
Irwin, H.S.; Soderstrom, T.R. [7592] Brazil Cenchrus incertus K001075842 Yes
Pohl, R.W.; Gabel, M. [13372] Honduras Cenchrus incertus K002817596 Yes
Nelson, E.W. [6327] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K002817589 Yes
Walter, J. [s.n.] Hungary Cenchrus incertus K002927202 Yes
Palmer, E. [168] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K002817583 Yes
Sohns, E.R. [1223] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K002817580 Yes
Peterson, P.M.; Saarela, J.M.; Flores Villegas, M.J. [21284] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K002817577 Yes
Palmer, E. [156] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K002817593 Yes
Mueller, F. [s.n.] Cenchrus incertus K002817584 Yes
Barclay [s.n.] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K000643120 Unknown Type Material Yes
s.coll. [s.n.] Australia Cenchrus incertus K002928184 Yes
Barclay [s.n.] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K000643121 Unknown Type Material Yes
Symon, D.E. [10987] Australia Cenchrus incertus K002928186 Yes
Bourgeau, E. [537] Mexico Cenchrus incertus K002817592 Yes

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0