Poaceae
Cenchrus

Cenchrus mutilatus Kuntze

First published in Revis. Gen. Pl. 3(2): 347 (1898)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Peru to N. Argentina. It is a perennial or rhizomatous geophyte and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Culms decumbent; zigzag; 100-200 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Lateral branches ample; arising from lower culm. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface, or pilose; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base with a false petiole; petiole 0.5-1 cm long. Leaf-blades 10-20 cm long; 8-30 mm wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary. Panicle spiciform; linear; 5-9 cm long; 0.5-0.8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with sessile scars on axis. Panicle axis angular; glabrous. Spikelets solitary, or subtended by an involucre (a few spikelets at base of spike). Fertile spikelets sessile. Involucre composed of bristles; 2-10 mm long. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; few; 1 in principal whorl; terete; flexible; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4.5-5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 4.5-5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous from the base, or with accessory branch structures.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.25-0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex entire, or dentate; 3 -fid; obtuse.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5-7 -veined; pubescent; entire, or dentate; 3 -fid; obtuse. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 4.5-5 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea 1 length of lemma; chartaceous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules absent. Anthers 3. Styles free to the base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
Distribution
South America: western South America and southern South America.
Reference
Paniceae. Turpe 1994.
[GB]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • 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

  • 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