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