Cenchrus ciliaris L.

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

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

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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) Molikangwetsi (Setswana) Mosila-watshwene (Setswana)
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.
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in Africa, extending through Arabia to India.
Botswana distribution:	N,SW,SE
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content 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. 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:

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Flora of Caprivi: Cenchrus ciliaris
Flora of Mozambique: Cenchrus ciliaris
Flora of Zambia: Cenchrus ciliaris
Flora of Zimbabwe: 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
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Cenchrus ciliaris
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Cenchrus ciliaris
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Cenchrus ciliaris
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network): Cenchrus ciliaris
iNaturalist: Cenchrus ciliaris
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Cenchrus ciliaris
JSTOR Plant Science: Cenchrus ciliaris
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Cenchrus ciliaris
Kew Monocotyledon checklist: Cenchrus ciliaris
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Cenchrus ciliaris
Plants of the World Online: Cenchrus ciliaris
The Plant List (version 1.1): Cenchrus ciliaris
Tropicos: Cenchrus ciliaris
Wikipedia: Cenchrus ciliaris