Common name: Fountain Grass
Cenchrus setaceus (Forssk.) Morrone APNI* Synonyms: Phalaris setacea Forssk. APNI*
Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov. APNI*
Description: Densely tufted perennial to 0.9 m high.
Leaves with ligule a ciliate rim; blade to 3.5 mm wide, scabrous on upper surface and margins.
Panicle spike-like, moderately dense, conspicuously plumose, 10–25 cm long, bristles to 25 in each involucre, slender, loosely plumose, unequal, mostly to 26 mm long but 1 usually to 40 mm long. Spikelets solitary or in clusters of 2 or 3, lanceolate, 4.5–6.5 mm long. Lower glume a hyaline scale or suppressed; upper to 5 mm long, 1-nerved. Lower lemma sterile or rarely male, 4–6 mm long, 1–5-nerved; palea suppressed or nearly as long as the lemma. Upper lemma bisexual or male, as long as the spikelet with a mucro to 1 mm long, usually 5-nerved; palea slightly shorter.
Flowering: summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Cultivated as an ornamental, and occasionally escapes from cultivation. Native of Afr.
NSW subdivisions: *CC, *CT, *NWS, *SWS, *NWP, *NFWP, *SFWP
Other Australian states: *Qld *W.A. *S.A.
Text by S.W.L. Jacobs & S.M. Hastings, as Pennisetum setaceum, fide Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
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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