Taxon: Cenchrus caudatus (Schrad.) Kuntze

Summary

Genus:

Cenchrus

Family:

Poaceae (alt. Gramineae)

Subfamily:

Panicoideae

Tribe:

Paniceae

Subtribe:

Cenchrinae

Nomen number:

476777

Place of publication:

Revis. gen. pl. 3(3):346. 1898

Verified:

02/15/2016 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

14 (4 active, 2 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Basionym
Gymnotrix caudata Schrad.

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Cenchrus macrourus (Trin.) Morrone
Pennisetum angolense Rendle
Pennisetum giganteum A. Rich.
Pennisetum macrourum Trin.
Pennisetum natalense Stapf
Pennisetum quartinianum A. Rich.

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Chemisquy, M. A. et al. 2010. Phylogenetic studies favour the unification of Pennisetum, Cenchrus and Odontelytrum (Poaceae): a combined nuclear, plastid and morphological analysis, and nomenclatural combinations in Cenchrus. Ann. Bot. (Oxford) 106:107-130. Note: as Pennisetum macrourum Trin.
Dujardin, M. & W. W. Hanna. 1989. Crossability of Pearl Millet with wild Pennisetum species. Crop Sci. (Madison) 29:77-80. Note: it reported unsuccesful crosses involving Cenchrus caudatus (as Pennisetum macrourum)
Idohou, R. et al. 2013. National inventory and prioritization of crop wild relatives: case study for Benin. Genet. Resources Crop Evol. 60:1337-1352. Note: as Pennisetum macrourum Trin.
Shem, M. N. et al. 2003. Feeding value of wild Napier grass (Pennisetum macrourum) for acttle supplemented with protein and/or energy rich supplements. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 108:15-24. Note: = Pennisetum macrourum Trin.
Verloove, F. 2012. New combinations in Cenchrus (Paniceae, Poaceae) in Europe and the Mediterranean area. Willdenowia 42:77-78.
Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds Note: as Pennisetum macrourum

Common names

Language	Name	note	seq	Citation
English	African feather grass		1	Plant Protection and Quarantine Office. United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Federal noxious weed list (on-line resource). Note: as Pennisetum macrourum
English	bedding grass		1	Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia.
English	waterside-reed		1	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
English	wild Napier grass	as Pennisetum macrourum	1	Shem, M. N. et al. 2003. Feeding value of wild Napier grass (Pennisetum macrourum) for acttle supplemented with protein and/or energy rich supplements. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 108:15-24. Note: = Pennisetum macrourum Trin.
German	afrikanisches Federborstengras		2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen
Swedish	svansborstgräs		2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Kenya			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Tanzania			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Uganda			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Ethiopia			Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Somalia			Thulin, M., ed. 1993-. Flora of Somalia.
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Sudan			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Angola			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Malawi			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Mozambique		possibly	Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: = Pennisetum macrourum Trin.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zambia			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zimbabwe			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Botswana			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Eswatini			Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Lesotho			Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Eastern Cape		Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Gauteng		Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	KwaZulu-Natal		Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Limpopo		Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Mpumalanga		Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Western Cape		Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Guinea			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Nigeria			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Togo			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Cameroon			Zon, A. P. M. van der. 1992. Graminées du Cameroun
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Democratic Republic of the Congo			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Gabon			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Arabian Peninsula	Yemen			Wood, J. R. I. 1997. A handbook of the Yemen flora.
2	Cultivated					also cult.
4	Naturalized	Africa	Macaronesia	Spain	Canarias		Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia	New South Wales	e.	George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia	South Australia	s.e.	George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Tasmania		George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Victoria		George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Western Australia	s.w.	George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	New Zealand	New Zealand			Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	California		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.

Native
Africa

NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia
EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon
WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Guinea, Nigeria, Togo
SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Angola, Mozambique (possibly), Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, South Africa [Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Western Cape]

Asia-Temperate

ARABIAN PENINSULA: Yemen

Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized
Africa

MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias]

Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia [Tasmania, New South Wales (e.), South Australia (s.e.), Victoria, Western Australia (s.w.)]
NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand

Northern America

SOUTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [California]

Reference(s)

Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: = Pennisetum macrourum Trin.
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
Thulin, M., ed. 1993-. Flora of Somalia.
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
Wood, J. R. I. 1997. A handbook of the Yemen flora.
Zon, A. P. M. van der. 1992. Graminées du Cameroun

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Animal food	fodder	in tropical Africa	Shem, M. N. et al. 2003. Feeding value of wild Napier grass (Pennisetum macrourum) for acttle supplemented with protein and/or energy rich supplements. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 108:15-24. Note: = Pennisetum macrourum Trin.
Environmental	ornamental		Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia.
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds Note: as Pennisetum macrourum

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=476777. Accessed 15 April 2026.