蒺蔾草屬

Cenchrus echinatus leaf cs section Credit: cs kuoh

Annulas or perennials; culms erect or ascending, rarely stoloniferous. Leaf blade flat, flaccid. Inflorescence a spike-like panicle, composed of spiculate units, arranged on all sides of elongated central axis; units composed of 1 to few spikelets inside an involucre, composed of bristles which are connate at lower part, or fixed to a flat disc at base of spikelets, often arranged in 2 heteromorphous rings; units shortly stipitate, each unit with small knob at base, often articulated, falling entire and acting as a bur; central axis protruding beyond uppermost unit. Spikelets of a unit flowering successively, ovate-oblong, acute, muticous, 2-flowered; glumes and lower lemma thin membranaceous; lower glume smaller than upper glume and lower lemma; lower palea present; upper lemma firmer, with narrowly involute, firm margins embracing frim upper palea; lodicules absent; stamens 3, anthers linear, with glabrous or penicillate apex, styles 2, connate at base, exserted apically.

Twenty-two species, distributed in the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world; one species in Taiwan.

Lower Taxon

• Cenchrus echinatus L.