Cenchrus advena (Wipff & Veldk.) Morrone

Veldkamp, J. F., 2014, A revision of Cenchrus incl. Pennisetum (Gramineae) in Malesia with some general nomenclatural notes, Blumea 59 (1), pp. 59-75 : 65

1. Cenchrus advena (Wipff & Veldk.) Morrone

Cenchrus advena (Wipff & Veldk.) Morrone in Chemisquy et al.(2010) 127. —

Pennisetum advena Wipff & Veldk. (1999) 1033, t. 1. — Type: Wipff 1723

(holo L; K, MO, US, UTC). Pennisetum macrostachys auct. non Trin. Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov. cv. ‘Burgundy Giant’. Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov. cv. ‘rubrum’.

Perennials. Culms erect, not stoloniferous, not rhizomatous, 1–1.15 m long, nodes glabrous. Ligule a ciliolate rim, 0.4–0.8 mm long. Blades flat, 23–52 cm by 6–11 mm, margins scaberulous. Peduncle puberulous below the panicle. Panicle exserted, many-spikeled, 22–32 cm long, common axis pubescent, angular. Involucre stipitate, disarticulating at base. Callus pilose. Bristles many, rather stiff, the inner ones pilose, one distinctly longer than the others, 11– 25 mm long, longest bristle 21–33.5 mm long. Spikelets 1–3 within the involucre, sessile (the laterals shortly pedicelled), 5.2–6.5 mm long. Lower glume absent to obsolete, 0–1 mm long, 0–0.37 times as long as the upper glume; upper glume 1.9–3.6 mm long, 0–1-nerved. First lemma paleate, sterile to male, acuminate, membranous, 5(–6)-nerved, glabrous, nerves smooth; second lemma 5.2–6 mm long, acuminate, not indurated.Anthers 1.95–2.6 mm long, apex glabrous, apiculate. 2n = 54.

Distribution — Origin unknown. Records at USDA suggest a provenance from Papua New Guinea, but this is very unlikely. It is running wild in frost-free areas such as Florida, Texas, California and Hawai’i. Ng (2006: 80, f.) recorded it as cultivated in Malaysia and not to produce viable caryopses.

Vernacular name — Purple fountaingrass.

Notes — Dr. E.A. Widjaja (BO, pers. comm.) reported the presence of a purple-leaved Pennisetum cultivated in Bandung. It might be the present species.

Chromosome number, reproductive behaviour, and fertility have been discussed by Dujardin & Hanna (1984: 197) as P. ‘ macrostachyum ’.