Cenchrus macrourus* (Trin.) Morrone. Ann. Bot. 106: 128 (2010). .
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Pennisetum
macrourum Trin., Gram. Pan. :64 (1826).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: ST: Link s.n., ST: Swartz s.n., South
Africa: Cape of Good Hope (LE).
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (278) as Pennisetum macruorum, [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia as Pennisetum macruorum, [2002] J.Wheeler, N.Marchant & M.Lewington, Flora of the
South West (426) as Pennisetum macruorum, [2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of
South Australia (471) as Pennisetum macruorum, [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley &
D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales (333) as Pennisetum macruorum.
Illustrations:
[2006] J.Jessop, G.R.M.Dashorst, F.M.James, Grasses of South Australia (472, Fig. 405) as Pennisetum macruorum, [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs,
R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn
(332). as Pennisetum macruorum.
Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes present, short. Stolons absent. Culms stature reed-like,
60–500 cm tall. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat or convolute, 10–45
cm long, 2–10(–15) mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle linear, 6–40 cm long.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles. 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, elliptic or ovate, dorsally compressed, 2–6 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
dissimilar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic or oblate, hyaline,
without keels, 0 -nerved. Upper glume lanceolate or oblong, membranous, without
keels, 0–3 -nerved. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, male or barren,
with palea or without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret 75–100 %
of length of spikelet, membranous, 5–9 -nerved.
Fertile lemma 2–6 mm
long, without keel, 5–7 -nerved. Lodicules absent or vestigial. Anthers 3.
Continental
Distribution: Africa, Temperate Asia, and Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales,
Victoria, Tasmania.
Western Australia:
Drummond. South Australia: Southern Lofty, South-eastern. New South
Wales: North Coast, Central Coast, South Coast. Victoria: Wannon. Tasmania:
East Coast.
Notes.
Introduced. In dry sclerophyll forests and temperate sub-humid woodlands.
Flowers June-Dec.
