Common name: Innocent Weed, Spiny Burrgrass
Cenchrus longispinus (Hack.) Fernald APNI* 
Description: Tufted annual to 0.9 m high.
Leaves with sheath strongly compressed, keeled, margins and throat pilose; ligule ciliate; blade scabrous to sparsely pilose, usually flat, 3–7.2 mm wide.
Panicles spike-like, compact, 1–10 cm long, burrs almost globose, spines rigid, slender, the inner flattened and erect or spreading and interlocking. Spikelets usually 2 or 3 per burr, ovate, acute, 6–7.8 mm long. Lower glume 1.5–3.8 mm long, 1-nerved; upper 4.4–6 mm long 3–5-nerved. Lower lemma sterile, 5–6.5 mm long, 3–7-nerved; palea as long, scabrid. Upper lemma bisexual, usually c. 6–6.5 mm long, obscurely c. 7-nerved; palea smooth.
Flowering: summer.
Distribution and occurrence: A weed of cultivation and disturbed sandy soils. Native of N & C Amer.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *NT, *CT, *ST, *NWS, *CWS, *SWS, *NWP, *SWP, *NFWP, *SFWP
Other Australian states: *Qld *Vic. *W.A. *S.A.
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & S. M. Hastings
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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