Poaceae
Cenchrus

Cenchrus elegans (Hassk.) Veldkamp

First published in Blumea 59: 68 (2014)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Malesia to Papuasia. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the wet 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; 200-300 cm long; 10-20 mm diam. Lateral branches ample. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 20-40 cm long; 10-30 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib prominent beneath. Leaf-blade surface smooth, or scabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary. Panicle spiciform; linear; 15-30 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with sessile scars on axis. Panicle axis with rounded ribs; puberulous, or pubescent; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters. Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 20-30 mm long; base obtuse; base 0.5 mm long. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; numerous; 20-30 mm long; terete; flexible; glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; 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 lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 5-6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes dissimilar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.25 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume oblong; 2.5-3 mm long; 0.5 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea, or without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; chartaceous; 5 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 5-6 mm long; chartaceous; without keel. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea chartaceous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3; anther tip apiculate.
Distribution
Asia-tropical: Malesia and Papuasia. Pacific: southwestern and north-central.
Reference
Paniceae. Reeder 1993.
[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

    • 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 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