Poaceae
Cenchrus

Cenchrus hordeoides (Lam.) Morrone

First published in Ann. Bot. (Oxford) 106: 128 (2010)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropical Africa, Madagascar, Arabian Peninsula, Nepal to Myanmar. It is an annual and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome.

Descriptions

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/117008036/117008041

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

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]

Seed Collecting Guide. RBG Kew (2013-2016)

Morphology Culms
stout Perrenial with culms 80 - 200 cm high, branched from upper nodes
Morphology Leaves
leaf blades flat, 10 - 40 cm long and 3-16 mm wide
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
inflorescence a linear spike-like panicle 8-20 cm long with sessile involucres of usually scaberulous bristles, the longest being 12-26 mm in length; each involucre enclosing one sessile spikelet 2.5 - 4 mm long; the rachis with sharp decurrent wings below the scars of fallen involucres.
Ecology
grassland on moist sandy soils. altitude:0 - 100 m
Distribution
Kenya, Tanzania, Senegal, Zaire, Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe.
Conservation
Near endangered
Phenology
Flower (all year), fruit (all year)
[SCG]

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:2. 1972

Morphology General Habit
Perennial, up to 2 m. high.
[FWTA]

Gramineae, W. D. Clayton. Flora of West Tropical Africa 3:2. 1972

Morphology General Habit
Annual, up to 1·2 m. high
Ecology
Disturbed soils.
[FWTA]

Morphology General Habit
Annual. Culms geniculately ascending; 25-120 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 3-30 cm long; 1.5-15 mm wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle spiciform; linear; straight, or curved; 3.5-9 cm long; 0.4-0.6 cm wide (excluding bristles). Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with sessile scars on axis. Panicle axis with briefly decurrent ribs; glabrous; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters. Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; oblong; 2.5-4.5 mm long; base obtuse. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; in one whorl; 6-8 in principal whorl; with one conspicuously longer bristle; 5-6(-8) 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 lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 2.5-3 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures; readily shedding fertile florets.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 2.5-3 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures; readily shedding fertile florets.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5-7 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; dentate; 3 -fid. Fertile lemma ovate; 2 mm long; coriaceous; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea coriaceous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules absent. Anthers 3; 1-1.5 mm long; anther tip smooth.
Distribution
Africa: west tropical, west-central tropical, and northeast tropical. Asia-tropical: India.
Reference
Paniceae. FTEA.
[GB]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

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

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical Africa
    • 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/

  • IUCN Categories

    • IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
    • 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

  • Seed Collection Guides

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