Taxon: Cenchrus ciliaris L.

Summary

Genus:

Cenchrus

Family:

Poaceae (alt. Gramineae)

Subfamily:

Panicoideae

Tribe:

Paniceae

Subtribe:

Cenchrinae

Nomen number:

9794

Place of publication:

Mant. pl. 2:302. 1771

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

09/16/2008 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

956 (878 active, 839 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

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

Homotypic Synonym(s)
Pennisetum cenchroides Rich.

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Cenchrus glaucus C. R. Mudaliar & Sundararaj
Pennisetum ciliare (L.) Link
Pennisetum incomptum Nees

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)

Links

Spikelets and/or florets – Seed ID Workshop image, from Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio State University

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
Ali, S. I. & S. M. H. Jafri, eds. 1976-. Flora of Libya.
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Bor, N. L. 1960. The grasses of Burma, Ceylon, India, and Pakistan.
Boulos, L. 1995. Flora of Egypt checklist.
Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
Catasús Guerra, L. J. 2002. Las gramíneas (Poaceae) de Cuba, II. Cavanillesia Altera 3:1-163.
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.
CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: four books on weeds worldwide in scope
Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
Englert, J. M. et al. 1999-. USDA-NRCS Improved conservation plant materials released by NRCS and cooperators
Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 2:1287.
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.
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
Gibbs-Russell, G. E. et al. 1990. Grasses of southern Africa. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa vol. 58
Giraldo-Cañas, D. 2011. Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en Colombia. Darwiniana 49:139-247.
Gutiérrez, H. F. & O. Morrone. 2012. Novedades nomenclaturales en Cenchrus s.l. (Poaceae: Panicoideae: Paniceae). Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 47:263-269.
Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
Hitchcock, A. S. 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States, ed. 2.
Hokche, O. et al. 2008. Nuevo catálogo de la flora vascular de Venezuela.
Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
Kartesz, J. T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland.
Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
Liogier, H. A. & L. F. Martorell. 2000. Flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands: a systematic synopsis, ed. 2.
Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
Migahid, A. M. 1988-1990. Flora of Saudi Arabia, ed. 3.
Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
Norton, J. et al. 2009. Illustrated checklist of the flora of Qatar.
Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
't Mannetje, L. & R. M. Jones, eds. 1992. Forages. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 4:77.
Thulin, M., ed. 1993-. Flora of Somalia.
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea.
Vibrans, H., ed. Malezas de México (on-line resource).
Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Wood, J. R. I. 1997. A handbook of the Yemen flora.
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
Zon, A. P. M. van der. 1992. Graminées du Cameroun
Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 1994. Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en la República Argentina. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 47
Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 2003. Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae): III. Subfamilies Panicoideae, Aristidoideae, Arundinoideae, and Danthonioideae. Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 46:145.

Common names

Language	Name	note	seq	Citation
English	African foxtail grass	as Cenchrus ciliaris	1	CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris
English	buffel grass		1	Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Arabic	sabat	as Cenchrus ciliaris	2	Norton, J. et al. 2009. Illustrated checklist of the flora of Qatar.
French	cenchrus cilié	as Cenchrus ciliaris	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris
German	Büffelgras	as Cenchrus ciliaris	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris
German	Klebgras	as Cenchrus ciliaris	2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 2:1287.
India	dhaman	as Cenchrus ciliaris	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris
Italian	cencro ciliare		2	International Seed Testing Association. 1982. A Multilingual Glossary of Common Plant-Names 1. Field crops, grasses and vegetables, ed. 2.
Spanish	pasto buffel	as Cenchrus ciliaris	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris
Spanish (Mexico)	zacate buffel	as Cenchrus ciliaris	2	Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.

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	Macaronesia	Portugal	Madeira Islands		Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Africa	Macaronesia	Spain	Canarias		Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Eritrea			Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
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	Sudan			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Algeria			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Egypt			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Libya			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Morocco			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Tunisia			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Angola
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Mozambique			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris L.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zambia			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris L.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zimbabwe			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris L.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Botswana			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris L.
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	Namibia			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	Free State		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	Northern 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	North-West		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	Ghana			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Mali			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Niger			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	Senegal			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Arabian Peninsula	Saudi Arabia
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Arabian Peninsula	Yemen			Wood, J. R. I. 1997. A handbook of the Yemen flora.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Afghanistan			Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Egypt	Sinai		Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Iran			Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Iraq			Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Israel			Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina. Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris L.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Jordan			Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina. Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris L.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Syria			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India			Bor, N. L. 1960. The grasses of Burma, Ceylon, India, and Pakistan.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Pakistan			Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Italy	Sicilia		Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris L.
2	Cultivated					also cult.	Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
4	Naturalized	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Taiwan			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4	Naturalized	Asia-Tropical	Papuasia	Papua New Guinea			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia			Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
4	Naturalized	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Greece			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource). Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris
4	Naturalized	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Spain			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource). Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Baja		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Chihuahua		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Coahuila de Zaragoza		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Durango		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Nuevo León		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	San Luis Potosí		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sinaloa		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sonora		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Tamaulipas		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	New Mexico		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	Texas		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Louisiana		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Mississippi		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Campeche		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Chiapas		Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Ciudad de México		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Colima		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Guanajuato		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Jalisco		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Michoacán de Ocampo		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Nayarit		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Oaxaca		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Quintana Roo		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Yucatán		Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	Arizona		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	California		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Pacific	North-Central Pacific	United States	Hawaii		Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Pacific	South-Central Pacific	French Polynesia			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Pacific	Southwestern Pacific	Fiji			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Pacific	Southwestern Pacific	New Caledonia			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Pacific	Southwestern Pacific	Niue			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Pacific	Southwestern Pacific	Tonga			Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil			Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 1994. Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en la República Argentina. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 47
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Puerto Rico		Liogier, H. A. & L. F. Martorell. 2000. Flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands: a systematic synopsis, ed. 2.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	Costa Rica			Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	El Salvador			Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	Nicaragua			Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Central America	Panama			Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Northern South America	Venezuela			Hokche, O. et al. 2008. Nuevo catálogo de la flora vascular de Venezuela.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Formosa		Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 1994. Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en la República Argentina. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 47
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Jujuy		Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 1994. Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en la República Argentina. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 47
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina	Tucumán		Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 1994. Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en la República Argentina. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 47
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Paraguay			Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 1994. Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en la República Argentina. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 47
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Bolivia			Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 2003. Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae): III. Subfamilies Panicoideae, Aristidoideae, Arundinoideae, and Danthonioideae. Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 46:145.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador			Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 2003. Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae): III. Subfamilies Panicoideae, Aristidoideae, Arundinoideae, and Danthonioideae. Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 46:145.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Peru			Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45

Native
Africa

MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias], Portugal [Madeira Islands]
NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan
EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal
SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Angola, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Botswana, Namibia, Eswatini, South Africa [Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North-West, Western Cape]

Asia-Temperate

ARABIAN PENINSULA: Saudi Arabia, Yemen
WESTERN ASIA: Afghanistan, Egypt [Sinai], Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Syria

Asia-Tropical

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India, Pakistan

Europe

SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Italy [Sicilia]

Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized
Asia-Temperate

EASTERN ASIA: Taiwan

Asia-Tropical

PAPUASIA: Papua New Guinea

Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia

Europe

SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Greece
SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain

Northern America

SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi]
SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [New Mexico, Texas]
SOUTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [Arizona, California]
NORTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Baja, Chihuahua, Coahuila de Zaragoza, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas]
SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Campeche, Chiapas, Ciudad de México, Colima, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacán de Ocampo, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Yucatán]

Pacific

NORTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: United States [Hawaii]
SOUTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: French Polynesia
SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Fiji, New Caledonia, Niue, Tonga

Southern America

CARIBBEAN: United States [Puerto Rico]
CENTRAL AMERICA: Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador
NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Venezuela
BRAZIL: Brazil
WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina [Formosa, Jujuy, Tucumán], Paraguay

Reference(s)

Bor, N. L. 1960. The grasses of Burma, Ceylon, India, and Pakistan.
Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource). Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris L.
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
Hanelt, P., ed. 2001. Mansfeld's encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops. Volumes 1-6
Hedberg, I. & S. Edwards. 1989-. Flora of Ethiopia Note: Eritrea added in 2000
Hokche, O. et al. 2008. Nuevo catálogo de la flora vascular de Venezuela.
Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER): plant threats to Pacific ecosystems (on-line resource).
Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
Liogier, H. A. & L. F. Martorell. 2000. Flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands: a systematic synopsis, ed. 2.
Mejía-Saulés, M. T. & P. Dávila A. 1992. Gramíneas Útiles de México. Cuad. Inst. Biol. 16 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal, Mexico.
Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris L.
Wood, J. R. I. 1997. A handbook of the Yemen flora.
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina. Note: = Cenchrus ciliaris L.
Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 1994. Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en la República Argentina. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 47
Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 2003. Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae): III. Subfamilies Panicoideae, Aristidoideae, Arundinoideae, and Danthonioideae. Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 46:145.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Animal food	forage		't Mannetje, L. & R. M. Jones, eds. 1992. Forages. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 4:77.
Animal food	forage		Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Environmental	erosion control	as Cenchrus ciliaris	Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Environmental	revegetator		Alderson, J. & W. C. Sharp. 1995. Grass varieties in the United States, U.S.D.A. Agric. Handb. 170, rev. ed. CRC Press. Note: Revised version of AH 170
Vertebrate poisons	mammals	as Cenchrus ciliaris	Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: four books on weeds worldwide in scope
Weed	seed contaminant	potential	Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds

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=9794. Accessed 15 April 2026.