Cenchrus ciliaris L.

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Cenchrus ciliaris

Photo: Petra Ballings
Along road from Shashe Wilderness Camp to National Parks compound, Tuli

Cenchrus ciliaris

Photo: Petra Ballings
Along road from Shashe Wilderness Camp to National Parks compound, Tuli

Cenchrus ciliaris

Photo: Petra Ballings
Along road from Shashe Wilderness Camp to National Parks compound, Tuli

Cenchrus ciliaris

Photo: Petra Ballings
Along road from Shashe Wilderness Camp to National Parks compound, Tuli

Cenchrus ciliaris

Photo: Petra Ballings
On (sloping) wall of upper dam, Hillside Dams, Bulawayo

Cenchrus ciliaris

Photo: Petra Ballings
On (sloping) wall of upper dam, Hillside Dams, Bulawayo

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Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms: Pennisetum cenchroides Rich.
Pennisetum ciliare (L.) Link
Pennisetum oxyphyllum Peter
Pennisetum rangei Mez
Common names: African foxtail (English) Blue buffalo grass (English) Buffelgrass (English)
Frequency:
Status: Native
Description:
Perennial grass, often forming mats or tussocks. Culms 10–150 cm high, ascending, wiry or sometimes almost woody. Panicle cylindrical to ovoid, 2–14 cm long, grey, purple or straw-coloured; involucre 6–16 mm long, bristly. Spikelets 1–4 per bur, acutely lanceolate, 2–5.5 mm long. Inferior glume from 1/4–1/2 as long as the spikelet, superior glume from 1/2 to as long as spikelet.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:
Habitat: In savannah woodland.
Altitude range: (metres) Up to 1500 m
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution: Widespread in Africa, extending through Arabia to India.
Zimbabwe distribution: N,W,C,E,S
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Images last updated: Friday 2 August 2019
Literature:

Chapano, C. (2002). A checklist of Zimbabwean grasses Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 16. Pretoria. Page 13.

Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 7.

Clayton, W.D. (1989). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(3) Pages 186 - 188. (Includes a picture).

Fish, L., Mashau, A.C., Moeaha, M.J. & Nembudani, M.T. (2015). Identification Guide to Southern African Grasses Strelitzia 36 South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria Page 158.

Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 508. (Includes a picture).

Isaiah, A.M. & Komi, T. (2015). Grasses in the Botswana National Botanic Garden South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria Page 8. (Includes a picture).

Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 66.

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 101.

Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 127.

Roodt, V. (2015). Grasses & Grazers of Botswana and the surrounding savanna Struik Nature, South Africa Pages 58 - 59. (Includes a picture).

Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 132.

Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 27.

Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 187.

Van Oudtshoorn, F.P. (1992). Grasses of South Africa Briza Publications, South Africa Page 88.


Other sources of information about Cenchrus ciliaris:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Cenchrus ciliaris
Flora of Burundi: Cenchrus ciliaris
Flora of Caprivi: Cenchrus ciliaris
Flora of Mozambique: Cenchrus ciliaris
Flora of Zambia: Cenchrus ciliaris

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Cenchrus ciliaris
African Plant Database: Cenchrus ciliaris
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Cenchrus ciliaris
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Cenchrus ciliaris
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Cenchrus ciliaris
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Cenchrus ciliaris
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Cenchrus ciliaris
JSTOR Plant Science: Cenchrus ciliaris
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Cenchrus ciliaris
Plants of the World Online: Cenchrus ciliaris
Tropicos: Cenchrus ciliaris
Wikipedia: Cenchrus ciliaris


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave, 2002-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Zimbabwe: Species information: Cenchrus ciliaris.
https://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=107920, retrieved 9 October 2024

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