Cenchrus brownii* Roem. & Schult. Syst.
Veg. 2: 258 (1817).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: R. Brown s.n., Australia (BM; IT: US
(fragm.)).
Recent synonyms:
Cenchrus inflexus.
Key references
(books and floras): [1810]. R.Brown, Prodromus (197 as Cenchrus
inflexus), [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Habit. Annual.
Rhizomes absent. Stolons absent. Culms geniculately ascending, 25–110 cm tall.
Ligule a fringe of hairs, 0.6–1.3 mm long. Leaf-blades 8–40 cm long, 4–13 mm
wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous or indumented.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, of only a few spikelets (spicate). Panicle linear or
oblong, 3–12 cm long, 1.5 cm wide. Racemes 3–12 cm long, 1.5 mm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 2–3 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles, connate
into a cup below. Fertile spikelets 2-flowered, the lower floret barren (rarely
male), the upper fertile, comprising 1 basal sterile florets, comprising 1
fertile floret(s), without rachilla extension, ovate, dorsally compressed, 4–6
mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, membranous, without keels,
1 -nerved. Upper glume ovate, 2.2–4.9 mm long, membranous, without keels, 3–5
-nerved. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, barren, with palea. Lemma of
lower sterile floret 80–90 % of length of spikelet, membranous, 5 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 4–6 mm
long, without keel, 5 -nerved. Anthers 3. Grain 1.9–2.6 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Africa, Tropical Asia, Australasia, Pacific, North America,
and South America.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, Christmas
Is, Cocos Keeling Is, Ashmore Reef, Coral Sea Is.
Western Australia:
Gardner. Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf. Queensland: Cook.
Notes. Introduced.
In tropical and subtropical sub-humid woodlands. A rare escapee of no economic
importance. Flowers Apr.-June.
