''Cenchrus'' is a widespread genus of plants in the
grass family
Poaceae () or Gramineae () is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos and the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in lawns and ...
. Its species are native to many countries in
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...
,
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, the
Americas
The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World.
Along with th ...
, and various oceanic islands.
Common names include buffelgrasses, sandburs, and sand spur “sticky bur”. Such names allude to the sharp, spine-covered burrs characterizing the inflorescences of the members of the genus.
Some botanists include the genus within the related genus ''
Pennisetum
''Pennisetum'' is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family, native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. They are known commonly as fountaingrasses (fountain grasses).The Plant List search for Cenchrus /ref>
* ''
Cenchrus abyssinicus
''Cenchrus'' is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family. Its species are native to many countries in Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas, and various oceanic islands.
Common names include buffelgrasses, sandburs, and sand spur “s ...
'' (Hack.) Morrone - Ethiopia, Tanzania, Yemen,
Limpopo
Limpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. It is named after the Limpopo River, which forms the province's western and northern borders. The capital and largest city in the province is Polokwane, while the provincial legislature is ...
,
Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga () is a province of South Africa. The name means "East", or literally "The Place Where the Sun Rises" in the Swazi, Xhosa, Ndebele and Zulu languages. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, bordering Eswatini and Mozambique. It ...
* ''
Cenchrus agrimonioides
''Cenchrus agrimonioides'' is a rare species of grass in the family Poaceae that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Its common names include Kāmanomano and agrimony sandbur. It was formerly distributed throughout the major islands but today i ...
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kur ...
* ''
Cenchrus arnhemicus
''Cenchrus'' is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family. Its species are native to many countries in Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas, and various oceanic islands.
Common names include buffelgrasses, sandburs, and sand spur “s ...
Roxb.
William Roxburgh FRSE FRCPE FLS (3/29 June 1751 – 18 February 1815) was a Scottish surgeon and botanist who worked extensively in India, describing species and working on economic botany. He is known as the founding father of Indian botany. H ...
– ''kram-kram'' - Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Indian Subcontinent, Madagascar
* ''
Cenchrus brevisetosus
''Cenchrus'' is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family. Its species are native to many countries in Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas, and various oceanic islands.
Common names include buffelgrasses, sandburs, and sand spur “s ...
Cenchrus brownii
''Cenchrus'' is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family. Its species are native to many countries in Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas, and various oceanic islands.
Common names include buffelgrasses, sandburs, and sand spur “s ...
'' Roem. & Schult. - North + South America, West Indies
* ''
Cenchrus caliculatus
''Cenchrus'' is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family. Its species are native to many countries in Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas, and various oceanic islands.
Common names include buffelgrasses, sandburs, and sand spur “s ...
'' Cav. - Australia, New Zealand, assorted islands in Pacific + Indian Oceans
* ''
Cenchrus ciliaris
''Cenchrus ciliaris'' (buffel-grass or African foxtail grass; syn. ''Pennisetum ciliare'' (L.) Link) is a species of grass native to most of Africa, southern Asia (east to India), southern Iran, and the extreme south of Europe (Sicily). Other na ...
'' L. – buffelgrass - Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Indian Subcontinent, Sicily; naturalized as a nutritious arid land pasture in parts of North and South America, Australia,Henry DR Pasture plants of Southern Inland Queensland. DPI. 1995 Southeast Asia, various islands; considered noxious weed in some places
* ''
Cenchrus distichophyllus
''Cenchrus distichophyllus'' is a grass species native to Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and severa ...
'' - Cuba
* '' Cenchrus echinatus'' L. – common sandbur - North + South America, West Indies; naturalized in parts of Africa, southern Asia, various islands
* ''
Cenchrus elegans
''Cenchrus elegans'' is a species of plants in the grass family. It is found in Malesia.
References
External links
''Cenchrus elegans''at IPNI
''Cenchrus elegans''at Tropicos
Tropicos is an online botanical database containing taxonomi ...
'' Veldkamp - Malesia
* ''
Cenchrus elymoides
''Cenchrus'' is a widespread genus of plants in the Poaceae, grass family. Its species are native to many countries in Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas, and various oceanic islands.
Common names include buffelgrasses, sandburs, and sand sp ...
'' - Australia (Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland)
* ''
Cenchrus gracillimus
''Cenchrus'' is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family. Its species are native to many countries in Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas, and various oceanic islands.
Common names include buffelgrasses, sandburs, and sand spur “s ...
'' Nash - West Indies, southeastern USA
* ''
Cenchrus longispinus
''Cenchrus longispinus'' is a species of grass, also known as spiny burr grass or gentle Annie. Its fruits are clumped into " burrs" with sharp, barbed spines that can penetrate the hides and mouth of grazing animals. They can also become lodged ...
'' (Hack.) Fern. – mat sandbur - Canada, USA, Mexico
* ''
Cenchrus mitis
''Cenchrus'' is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family. Its species are native to many countries in Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas, and various oceanic islands.
Common names include buffelgrasses, sandburs, and sand spur “s ...
Cenchrus multiflorus
''Cenchrus'' is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family. Its species are native to many countries in Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas, and various oceanic islands.
Common names include buffelgrasses, sandburs, and sand spur “s ...
'' J.Presl - Mexico, Central America
* ''
Cenchrus myosuroides
''Cenchrus'' is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family. Its species are native to many countries in Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas, and various oceanic islands.
Common names include buffelgrasses, sandburs, and sand spur “s ...
'' Kunth - North + South America, West Indies
* ''
Cenchrus palmeri
''Cenchrus'' is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family. Its species are native to many countries in Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas, and various oceanic islands.
Common names include buffelgrasses, sandburs, and sand spur “s ...
'' Vasey -
Baja California
Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...
,
Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur (; 'South Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California Sur ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California Sur), is the least populated state and the 31st admitted state of the 32 federal ent ...
,
Sonora
Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sonora), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is d ...
,
Sinaloa
Sinaloa (), officially the Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Sinaloa), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is d ...
Sahara
, photo = Sahara real color.jpg
, photo_caption = The Sahara taken by Apollo 17 astronauts, 1972
, map =
, map_image =
, location =
, country =
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, ...
, Arabian Peninsula, Indian Subcontinent,
Myanmar
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...
* ''
Cenchrus purpureus
''Cenchrus purpureus'', synonym ''Pennisetum purpureum'', also known as Napier grass, elephant grass or Uganda grass, is a species of perennial tropical grass native to the African grasslands. arrell, G., Simons, S. A., & Hillocks, R. J. (2002). ...
'' (Schumach.) Morrone – Africa, Oman
* '' Cenchrus robustus'' - Queensland, New South Wales
* ''
Cenchrus setaceus
''Cenchrus setaceus'', commonly known as crimson fountaingrass, is a C4 carbon fixation, C4 Perennial plant, perennial bunch grass that is native to open, scrubby habitats in East Africa, tropical Africa, the Middle East and south-western Asia. ...
'' – tender fountain grass, crimson fountaingrass – northern Africa, southwestern Asia; naturalized in Australia, New Zealand, scattered places in Europe and the Americas
* ''
Cenchrus setiger
''Cenchrus setiger'' (syn. ''Pennisetum setigerum''), the birdwood grass, is a species in the grass family Poaceae. It native to drier parts of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, India, and as far as Myanmar, and has been introduced to the Unit ...
'' Vahl - Sahara, East Africa, Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Indian Subcontinent, Myanmar, Andaman & Nicobar
* '' Cenchrus somalensis'' - Somalia
* '' Cenchrus spinifex'' Cav. – coastal sandbur - North + South America, West Indies
* '' Cenchrus tribuloides'' L. – sanddune sandbur - North + South America, West Indies
; Formerly included
Several species are now considered better suited to other genera: ''
Anthephora
''Anthephora'' is a genus of plants in the grass family, native to southwest Asia, Africa, the Americas, and various islands.
; Species
* '' Anthephora ampullacea'' - Guinea, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola
* '' Anthephora ar ...
Dactyloctenium
''Dactyloctenium'' is a genus of Asian, African, and Australian plants in the grass family. There are about 13 species in the genus in the world, in which 3 are known to occur in India. A common name for the plants is crowfoot grasses.
;Specie ...
Echinolaena
''Echinolaena'' is a genus of plants in tribe Paspaleae of the grass family, native to the New World tropics.Hackelochloa
''Hackelochloa'' is a genus of Asian and African plants in the grass family.
The genus was named after Eduard Hackel, an Austrian botanist, by Otto Kuntze, in 1891.
Species
*'' Hackelochloa granularis'' ( L.) Kuntze - sub-Saharan Africa; ...
,
Hilaria
The Hilaria (; Latin "the cheerful ones", a term derived from the borrowed adjective grc, ἱλαρός "cheerful, merry") were ancient Roman religious festivals celebrated on the March equinox to honor Cybele.
Origins
The term seems origina ...
,
Pennisetum
''Pennisetum'' is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family, native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. They are known commonly as fountaingrasses (fountain grasses).Phragmites
''Phragmites'' () is a genus of four species of large perennial reed grasses found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world.
Taxonomy
The World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, maintained by Kew Garden in London ...
,
Scleria
''Scleria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the sedge family, Cyperaceae. They are known commonly as nutrushes.
,
Setaria
''Setaria'' is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family. The name is derived from the Latin word ''seta'', meaning "bristle" or "hair", which refers to the bristly spikelets.
The genus includes over 100 species distributed in many t ...
, Trachys, Tragus, Tribolium''.
File:Sand spur with centimeter scale.jpg, Sand spur in front of a centimeter scale
File:Sandspurs 2.jpg, Sandspurs with 1mm markings
See also
*
List of Poaceae genera
The true grasses ( Poaceae) are one of the largest plant families, with around 12,000 species and roughly 800 genera. They contain, among others, the cereal crop species and other plants of economic importance, such as the bamboos, and several i ...