Common name: Spiny Burrgrass
Cenchrus spinifex Cav. APNI* Synonyms: Cenchrus incertus M.A.Curtis APNI*
Description: Tufted annual or occasionally biennial to 0.8 m high.
Leaves with sheath glabrous or sparsely pilose; ligule ciliate; blade flat or folded, glabrous, finely scabrous, 2–6 mm wide.
Panicle spike-like, not very dense, 2–8.5 cm long; burrs variable, from ovoid to globose, spines rigid, long and slender to broad and subdeltoid. Spikelets 2–4 in each burr, ovate, acute, 3.5–5.8 mm long. Lower glume 1–3.3 mm long, 1-nerved; upper 2.8–5 mm long, 5–7-nerved. Lower lemma sterile, 3–6 mm long, 4–7-nerved; palea scabrous. Upper lemma bisexual, 3.4–6 mm long, 3-nerved.
Flowering: summer.
Distribution and occurrence: Usually grows on sandy soils in disturbed areas. Native of N & S Amer.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC, *NT, *NWS, *CWS, *SWS, *NWP, *SWP
Other Australian states: *Qld *Vic. *W.A. *S.A. *N.T.
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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