Cenchrus purpureus*( Schum.) Morrone, Ann. Bot. 106:
129 (2010). .
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Paniceae.
Basionym and/or
Replacement Name: Pennisetum
purpureum Schumach., Beskr. Guin. Pl. 44 (1827).
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: Africa: Ghana: Guinea, Thonning 355 (HT: C;
IT: BM).
Key references
(books and floras): [1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1
Gramineae (281) as Pennisetum purpureum, [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia as Pennisetum purpureum [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses
of New South Wales (334) as Pennisetum purpureum.
Illustrations:
[1952] C.A.Gardner, Flora of Western Australia 1 Gramineae (282,
Pl. 81), as Pennisetum purpureum [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of
New South Wales, 4th edn (334) as Pennisetum purpureum.
Habit.
Perennial. Rhizomes absent or present. Stolons absent or present. Culms erect
or geniculately ascending, stature robust to moderate, 100–600 cm tall. Ligule
a fringe of hairs, 3–5 mm long. Leaf-blades 30–120 cm long, 20–40 mm wide.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle linear, 7–30 cm long, 1–3 cm wide.
Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Companion spikelets pedicelled, 0–4 in the
cluster. Involucre composed of bristles. Companion spikelets developed, male,
4.5–7 mm long. 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, lanceolate, dorsally compressed,
4.5–7 mm long.
Glumes. Glumes
thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume lanceolate or ovate, 0.75–3 mm long,
membranous, without keels, 0–1 -nerved. Florets. Basal sterile florets
1, male or barren, with palea or without significant palea. Lemma of lower
sterile floret 66–100 % of length of spikelet, chartaceous, (1–)2–5(–7)
-nerved.
Fertile lemma 5–7 mm
long, without keel, 5–7 -nerved. Lodicules absent or vestigial. Anthers 3.
Grain 1.8–2.2 mm long.
Continental
Distribution: Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia, Pacific,
North America, and South America.
Australian
Distribution: Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia,
Queensland, New South Wales, Norfolk I.
Western Australia:
Gardner. Northern Territory: Darwin & Gulf. South Australia:
Northern Lofty. Queensland: Cook, Moreton, Port Curtis, South Kennedy,
Wide Bay, North Kennedy. New South Wales: North Coast.
Notes.
Introduced. In tropical heaths, tropical and subtropical rain forests, tropical
and subtropical wet sclerophyll forests, tropical and subtropical sub-humid
woodlands, temperate sub-humid woodlands, semi-arid shrub woodlands, and acacia
shrublands. A valuable introduced species that occasionally escapes from
cultivation. Flowers Apr.-Aug.
