Poaceae
Cenchrus

Cenchrus pilcomayensis (Mez) Morrone

First published in Ann. Bot. (Oxford) 106: 128 (2010)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Paraguay 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]

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/44392284/44401931

Conservation
LC - least concern
[IUCN]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Cataphylls evident. Rhizomes elongated. Culms 100-200 cm long. Culm-internodes thick-walled; distally pruinose. Lateral branches ample. Leaf-sheaths deciduous; glabrous on surface. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 15-25 cm long; 5-8 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle spiciform; linear; 6-14 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with sessile scars on axis. Panicle axis terete; pubescent; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters. Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 9-10 mm long; base truncate. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; numerous; with longest bristle scarcely emergent; 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; 3.3-5.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3.3-5.5 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; 0.33 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 male, or barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 3-5 mm long; coriaceous; without keel. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea 1 length of lemma; coriaceous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules absent. Anthers 3.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
Distribution
South America: 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

  • 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/

  • 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 2025. 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 2025. 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