Poaceae
Cenchrus

Cenchrus nervosus (Nees) Kuntze

First published in Revis. Gen. Pl. 3(2): 347 (1898)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is S. Tropical America. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Orinoquia. Elevation range: 0–500 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Meta.
Habit
Herb.
[UPFC]

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]

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

Distribution
Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 500 m.; Orinoquia.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Rootstock evident. Culms 100-300 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 20-50 cm long; 6-10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle spiciform; linear; flexuous; 10-20 cm long; 1.2-1.8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with sessile scars on axis. Panicle axis with rounded ribs; puberulous; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters. Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 10 mm long; base truncate. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; numerous; with longest bristle scarcely emergent; 10 mm long; terete; flexible; glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 5-6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; 5-6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 2.2-3 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 7 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 5-6 mm long; chartaceous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; membranous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules absent. Anthers 3.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
Distribution
North America: south-central USA and Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana, western South America, Brazil, and southern South America.
Reference
Paniceae. Gr Texas 1994.
[GB]

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

  • 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

    • 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 2026. 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 2026. 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

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

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