Poaceae
Cenchrus

Cenchrus distachyus (E.Fourn.) Morrone

First published in Ann. Bot. (Oxford) 106: 127 (2010)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Mexico to Central America. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical 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; caespitose. Culms erect; robust; 200-300 cm long; 3-6 mm diam.; swollen at the base. Culm-internodes thin-walled; distally glabrous. Culm-nodes pubescent. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths without keel; glabrous on surface. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 1.5-3.5 mm long. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 17-45 cm long; 13-35 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or hirsute; hairy on both sides.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary; subtended by an inflated leaf-sheath. Panicle spiciform; linear; flexuous; 3-10 cm long; 0.7-1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis scabrous; glabrous; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters. Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 3-5 mm long; base truncate. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; numerous; in one whorl; 30 in principal whorl; with one conspicuously longer bristle; 15-20 mm long; terete; flexible; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; dorsally compressed; acute, or acuminate; 4.8-6.2 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; acute, or acuminate; 4.8-6.2 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.5-1.2 mm long; 0.1-0.2 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 0-1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume ovate; 1.8-2.5 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins obscure. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 3.8-5.4 mm long; 0.9-1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; 3.8-5.4 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma margins flat. Palea 1 length of lemma; membranous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2. Anthers 3; 1.3-1.8 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
Distribution
North America: Mexico. South America: Mesoamericana.
Reference
Paniceae. Fl Mesoamer. 2011.
[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 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