Taxon: Cenchrus longisetus M. C. Johnst.

Summary

Genus:

Cenchrus

Family:

Poaceae (alt. Gramineae)

Subfamily:

Panicoideae

Tribe:

Paniceae

Subtribe:

Cenchrinae

Nomen number:

464294

Place of publication:

Sida 1:182. 1963

Verified:

01/17/2012 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

15 (5 active, 4 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

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

Homotypic Synonym(s)
Pennisetum villosum R. Br. ex Fresen.

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Invasive species of South Africa Note: as Pennisetum villosum; propagates by rhizomes and seeds; potential invader of natural sites; it its also used as an ornamental
University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
Carbone, L. M. et al. Cenchrus (Poaceae) ornamentales en Argentina: ¿De cultivados a invasores? Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 57:271-286. DOI: 10.31055/1851.2372.v57.n2.37107.
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America. Note: as Pennisetum villosum
Gutiérrez, H. F. 2015. Las especies americanas del género Cenchrus s.l. (Poaceae, Panioideae, Paniceae). Darwiniana 3:114-200.
Henderson, M. et al. 1987. Declared weeds and alien invader plants in South Africa. Botanical Research Institute, bulletin 413 Note: as Pennisetum villosum
Ramarumo, L. J. 2022. Harnessing ecosystem services from invasive alien grass and rush species to suppress their aggressive expansion in South Africa. Sustainability 14:15032. DOI: 10.3390/su142215032. Note: as Pennisetum villosum
Thulin, M. & S. Phillips. 2015. The identity of Pennisetum longistylum (Poaceae). Willdenowia 45:173-175. Note: parental species of Cenchrus xlongistylus
Ugarte, E. et al. 2011. Vascular alien flora, Chile. Check List 7:365-382. Note: as Pennisetum villosum
Veldkamp, J. F. 2014. A revision of Cenchrus incl. Pennisetum (Gramineae) in Malesia with some general nomenclatural notes. Blumea 59:59-75.
Verloove, F. 2012. New combinations in Cenchrus (Paniceae, Poaceae) in Europe and the Mediterranean area. Willdenowia 42:77-78.
Wang, Q. 2020. The plastid genome of an ornamental grass Pennisetum villosum (Poaceae: Paniceae). Mitochondrial DNA Part B. 5:1586-1587. DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2020.1742211.

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
English	feather grass	1	Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
English	feathertop	1	Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
English	long-style feather grass	1	Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia.
English	white-foxtail	1	Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia Inkata Press, Melbourne, Australia.
Afrikaans	veergras	2	Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
German	weißes Lampenputzergras	2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen
Portuguese (Brazil)	capim-da-Abissínia	2	Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Portuguese (Brazil)	painço-da-Abissínia	2	Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
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	Somalia		n.	Thulin, M., ed. 1993-. Flora of Somalia.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Arabian Peninsula	Yemen			Wood, J. R. I. 1997. A handbook of the Yemen flora.
2	Cultivated	Northern America		United States			Meyer, M. H. 2012. Chapter 3. Ornamental grasses in the United States. Hort. Rev. 39:121-152.
4	Naturalized	Africa	Macaronesia	Portugal	Azores		Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Africa	Macaronesia	Portugal	Madeira Islands		Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
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	Africa	Northern Africa	Algeria			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Africa	Northern Africa	Morocco			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa			Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	New Zealand	New Zealand			Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
4	Naturalized	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Greece			Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Italy		incl. Sardinia	Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Europe	Southwestern Europe	France	Corse		Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Spain		incl. Baleares	Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Durango		Herrera-Arrieta, Y. 2001. Las Gramíneus de Durango
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Nuevo León		Herrera-Arrieta, Y. 2001. Las Gramíneus de Durango
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Sinaloa		Herrera-Arrieta, Y. 2001. Las Gramíneus de Durango
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Tamaulipas		Herrera-Arrieta, Y. 2001. Las Gramíneus de Durango
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Zacatecas		Herrera-Arrieta, Y. 2001. Las Gramíneus de Durango
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Aguascalientes		Herrera-Arrieta, Y. 2001. Las Gramíneus de Durango
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		Herrera-Arrieta, Y. 2001. Las Gramíneus de Durango
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Colima		Herrera-Arrieta, Y. 2001. Las Gramíneus de Durango
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Jalisco		Herrera-Arrieta, Y. 2001. Las Gramíneus de Durango
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	México		Herrera-Arrieta, Y. 2001. Las Gramíneus de Durango
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Michoacán de Ocampo		Herrera-Arrieta, Y. 2001. Las Gramíneus de Durango
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Morelos		Herrera-Arrieta, Y. 2001. Las Gramíneus de Durango
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Querétaro		Herrera-Arrieta, Y. 2001. Las Gramíneus de Durango
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	São Paulo		Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina			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	Chile			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	Uruguay			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. 1994. Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en la República Argentina. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 47

Native
Africa

NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia (n.)

Asia-Temperate

ARABIAN PENINSULA: Yemen

Cultivated
Northern America

REGION: United States

Naturalized
Africa

MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias], Portugal [Azores, Madeira Islands]
NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Morocco
SOUTHERN AFRICA: South Africa

Australasia

NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand

Europe

SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Greece, Italy (incl. Sardinia)
SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain (incl. Baleares), France [Corse]

Northern America

NORTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Durango, Nuevo León, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas]
SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Aguascalientes, Chiapas, Ciudad de México, Colima, Jalisco, México, Michoacán de Ocampo, Morelos, Querétaro]

Southern America

BRAZIL: Brazil [São Paulo]
WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina, Chile, Uruguay

Reference(s)

Allan, H. H. B. et al. 1961-. Flora of New Zealand.
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).
Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
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
Herrera-Arrieta, Y. 2001. Las Gramíneus de Durango
Meyer, M. H. 2012. Chapter 3. Ornamental grasses in the United States. Hort. Rev. 39:121-152.
Thulin, M., ed. 1993-. Flora of Somalia.
Wood, J. R. I. 1997. A handbook of the Yemen flora.
Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 1994. Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en la República Argentina. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 47

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Environmental	ornamental		Carbone, L. M. et al. Cenchrus (Poaceae) ornamentales en Argentina: ¿De cultivados a invasores? Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 57:271-286. DOI: 10.31055/1851.2372.v57.n2.37107.
Environmental	ornamental		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America. Note: as Pennisetum villosum
Environmental	ornamental		Ramarumo, L. J. 2022. Harnessing ecosystem services from invasive alien grass and rush species to suppress their aggressive expansion in South Africa. Sustainability 14:15032. DOI: 10.3390/su142215032. Note: as Pennisetum villosum
Weed		agressive invader in dry environments, status unknown in Argentina	Carbone, L. M. et al. Cenchrus (Poaceae) ornamentales en Argentina: ¿De cultivados a invasores? Bol. Soc. Argent. Bot. 57:271-286. DOI: 10.31055/1851.2372.v57.n2.37107.
Weed		of disturbed sites	Invasive species of South Africa Note: as Pennisetum villosum; propagates by rhizomes and seeds; potential invader of natural sites; it its also used as an ornamental
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	Henderson, M. et al. 1987. Declared weeds and alien invader plants in South Africa. Botanical Research Institute, bulletin 413 Note: as Pennisetum villosum

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=464294. Accessed 15 April 2026.