Common name: African Feather Grass
Cenchrus macrourus (Trin.) Morrone APNI* Synonyms: Pennisetum macrourum Trin. APNI*
Description: Densely tufted rhizomatous perennial to 1.5 m high.
Leaves with ligule a dense fringe of hairs; blade 4–12 mm wide, occasionally hairy near the orifice, densely scabrous.
Panicle spike-like, cylindrical, 8–30 cm long, dense, bristles numerous, slender, unequal, most about as long as spikelets with 1 longer bristle. Spikelets solitary or paired, sessile, 4–6 mm long, glabrous. Lower glume minute, nerveless or 1-nerved, or absent; upper nerveless or 1-nerved, 25–50% spikelet length. Lower lemma sterile, as long as the spikelet, 5-nerved, shortly awned; palea absent. Upper lemma bisexual, similar to lower lemma; palea subequal to lemma.
Flowering: summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Grown as a semi-ornamental, escaped and spreading on coastal districts, especially on sandy soils. Native of S Afr.
NSW subdivisions: ?NC, *CC, *SC, *ST
Other Australian states: *Vic. *Tas. *S.A. *W.A.
See also NSW WeedWise profile.
Text by S.W.L. Jacobs & S.M. Hastings, as Pennisetum macrourum, fide Flora of NSW 4 (1993); edited by P. Lu-Irving (Oct 2024)
Taxon concept: Australian Plant Census (CHAH 2011)
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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