Cenchrus

Veldkamp, J. F., 2014, A revision of Cenchrus incl. Pennisetum (Gramineae) in Malesia with some general nomenclatural notes, Blumea 59 (1), pp. 59-75 : 64

CENCHRUS L.

Cenchrus L. (1753) 1049; DeLisle (1963) 259;Chrtek & Osb.-Kos.(1996) 85; Chemisquy et al. (2010) 107. — Echinaria Heist. ex Fabr. (1759) 206, nom. rej. [contra Desf. (1799), nom. cons.]. — Raram Adans. (1763) 35, 597, nom. superfl. — Nastus Lunell (1915) 214, nom. superfl., non Juss. (1789). — Lectotype: Cenchrus echinatus L., designated by Nash (1913: 166).

Pennisetum Rich. (1805) 72; Leeke (1907) 1; Chase (1921) 209. — Penicillaria Willd.(1809) 1036;Kunth (1816 ‘1815’) 71 (‘ Penicellaria Sw. ’),nom.superfl. — Lectotype: Pennisetum typhoideum (L.) Rich.,nom.superfl.[= Cenchrus americanus (L.) Morrone], designated by Hitchcock (1920:245) and Chase (1921: 210).

Gymnotrix P.Beauv. (1812) 59, 164, t. 13, f. 6; Spreng. (1817) 154 (‘ Gymnothrix ’). — Pennisetum Rich. sect. Gymnotrix Leeke (1907) 9, 28. — Type: Gymnotrix thouarii P.Beauv. [= Cenchrus cafer (Bory) Veldk. ].

Sericura Hassk. (1842) 2. — Type: Sericura elegans Hassk. [= Cenchrus elegans (Hassk.) Veldk. ].

Beckeropsis Fig. & De Not. (1854) 365; Clayton (1967) t. 3643. — Pennisetum Rich. sect. Beckeropsis Hack. (1887) 38. — Pennisetum Rich. subser. Beckeropsis Leeke (1907) 10, 28. — Pennisetum Rich. subsect. Beckeropsis Leeke ex Pilg. (1940) 80. — Lectotype: Beckeropsis nubica (Hochst.) Fig. & De Not.[= Cenchrus unisetus (Nees) Morrone ],designated by Phillips (1951: 107).

Kikuyuochloa H. Scholz (2006) 513. — Type: Kikuyuochloa clandestina (Hochst.ex Chiov.) H.Scholz [= Cenchrus clandestinus (Hochst.ex Chiov.) Morrone ].

Annuals or perennials, branching intra-vaginally at base. Culms hollow to solid. Ligule a ciliolate rim or row of hairs. Inflorescence a spike or contracted raceme, or spike-like, branches 1–6-spikeled, surrounded by a sessile to shortly stipitate involucre of setae or bur-like with spiny bracts, usually deciduous as a whole, sometimes apparently 1-flowered by absence of glumes and epaleate first lemma. Spikelets quaquaversal, abaxial, sessile or shortly pedicelled, dorso-ventrally compressed. Glumes 0– 2, very unequal, shorter than the adjacent lemmas, acute, 0 – 5-nerved; lower glume absent to well-developed, 0–1-nerved; upper glume and 0–5-nerved. First lemma epaleate or paleate, neuter or male, 3–11-nerved; second lemma membranous to leathery, 5 –7-nerved, smooth, germination flap present, margins laying flat on the palea. Hilum punctiform to ovate. Embryo 0.33–0.75 times as long as the caryopsis. Rachilla process absent (occasionally present in C. setaceus ). x = 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 17.

Distribution — C. 110 pantropical species, 16 Malesian, 3 native.