Cenchrus echinatus

(Burgrass, Common Sandbur, Field Sandbur, Konpeito-Gusa, Sand Bur, Sandburr, Se Mbulabula, Southern Sandbur, Southern Sandbur Cenchrus Echinatus, Vao Tui Tui)

Overview:

Conservation Status

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Population Analysis

For the 283,255 species in the Class Liliopsida (Monocotyledons), we average 3.99 observations each in our database; for the Southern Sandbur Cenchrus Echinatus, we have 316 observations. Compared to other species in this Class, this species is moderately common.
A two-sample t-test can be used to determine whether the trend in observations of the Southern Sandbur Cenchrus Echinatus is the same as the trend in observations of Liliopsida. Is this species just as common, as a proportion of all observations, as it once was? The answer is no, changes in observation rate of this species significantly differ from changes in observation rate of its Class. (t=4.181, p<0.001)
How do observation rates of the Southern Sandbur Cenchrus Echinatus differ from those of Liliopsida? To answer this, we examined the percentage of observerations for Liliopsida that were observations of the Southern Sandbur Cenchrus Echinatus each year. We then correlated this percentage with observation year. If observations of the Southern Sandbur Cenchrus Echinatus are becoming more common relative to other species of Liliopsida, the correlation should be positive, but if it is becoming less common, the correlation should be negative. In fact, the correlation is negative (r=-.49), with a negative slope (m = -.001), suggesting that the Southern Sandbur Cenchrus Echinatus may be in decline relative to other species of Liliopsida. This correlation is statistically significant. (F = 102.08, p<.05)
The scatter chart to the right shows the percentage of all observations for Liliopsida each year that were observations of the Southern Sandbur Cenchrus Echinatus.

Taxonomy

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Domain: Eukaryota Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes
- Kingdom: Plantae Haeckel, 1866 - Plants
  - Subkingdom: Viridaeplantae Cavalier-Smith, 1981 - Green Plants
    - Phylum: Magnoliophyta Cronquist, Takhtajan & W. Zimmermann, 1966 - Flowering Plants
      - Subphylum: Spermatophytina (auct.) Cavalier-Smith, 1998 - Seed Plants
        Infraphylum: Angiospermae auct.
        Class: Liliopsida Scopoli, 1760 - Monocotyledons
        Subclass: Commelinidae Takhtajan, 1967
        Superorder: Poanae (Small, 1903) Takhtajan, 1997 ex Reveal & Doweld, 1999
        Order: Poales Small, 1903
        Family: Poaceae (poh-AY-see-ay) (R. Brown) Barnhart, 1895 - Grass Family
        Subfamily: Panicoideae
        Tribe: Paniceae
        Genus: Cenchrus (SENCH-rus) Linnaeus, 1753 - Sandbur
        Specific epithet: echinatus L.
        Botanical name: Cenchrus echinatus L.

Unambiguous Synonyms:

Cenchrus barbatus Schumacher
Cenchrus catharticus Delile

Notes:

Name Status: Accepted Name. Latest taxonomic scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000

Place of publication: Sp. pl. 2:1050. 1753

Name verified on 06-May-1992 by ARS Systematic Botanists. Last updated: 29-Sep-1994

Physical Description

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Family Poaceae:

Annual or perennial herbs, or tall woody bamboos. Flowering stems (culms) jointed, internodes hollow or solid; branches arising singly from nodes and subtended by a leaf sheath and 2-keeled prophyll, often fascicled in bamboos. Leaves arranged alternately in 2 ranks, differentiated into sheath, blade, and an adaxial erect appendage at sheath/blade junction (ligule) ; leaf sheath surrounding and supporting culm-internode, split to base or infrequently tubular with partially or completely fused margins, modified with reduced blade in bamboos (culm sheaths) ; leaf blades divergent, usually long, narrow and flat, but varying from inrolled and filiform to ovate, veins parallel, sometimes with cross-connecting veinlets (especially in bamboos) ; ligule membranous or a line of hairs. Inflorescence terminal or axillary, an open, contracted, or spikelike panicle, or composed of lax to spikelike racemes arranged along an elongate central axis, or digitate, paired, or occasionally solitary; axillary inflorescences often many, subtended by spatheoles (specialized bladeless leaf sheaths) and gathered into a leafy compound panicle; spikelets often aggregated into complex clusters in bamboos. Spikelets composed of distichous bracts arranged along a slender axis (rachilla) ; typically 2 lowest bracts (glumes) empty, subtending 1 to many florets; glumes often poorly differentiated from accompanying bracts in bamboos. Florets composed of 2 opposing bracts enclosing a single small flower, outer bract (lemma) clasping the more delicate, usually 2-keeled inner bract (palea) ; base of floret often with thickened prolongation articulated with rachilla (callus) ; lemma often with apical or dorsal bristle (awn), glumes also sometimes awned. Flowers bisexual or unisexual; lodicules (small scales representing perianth) 2, rarely 3 or absent, 3 to many in bamboos, hyaline or fleshy; stamens 3 rarely 1, 2, 6, or more in some bamboos, hypogynous, filaments capillary, anthers versatile; ovary 1-celled, styles (1 or) 2(rarely 3), free or united at base, topped by feathery stigmas, exserted from sides or apex of floret. Fruit normally a dry indehiscent caryopsis with thin pericarp firmly adherent to seed, pericarp rarely free, fleshy in some bamboos; embryo small or large; hilum punctate to linear.

About 700 genera and 11,000 species: widely distributed in all regions of the world.^[1]

Habit: Graminoid

Images:

Cenchrus echinatus Cenchrus echinatus Flower(s) Photographer: John D. Byrd
Location Taken: United States Copyright: © John D. Byrd. Permissions for Use: see www.ForestryImages.org. ZipcodeZoo Photo ID: 171272

Cenchrus echinatus Cenchrus echinatus Cenchrus echinatus (southern sandbur) Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States. USDA Misc. Publ. No. 200. Washington, DC. 1950 Permissions for Use: See here. ZipcodeZoo Photo ID: 2543

Cenchrus echinatus Cenchrus echinatus In this case the florets are enclosed by a cluster of numerous coalescing bristles that are very effective in aiding dispersal of the fruits by tangling in the fur of animals or feathers of birds. Photographer: Gerald D. Carr Copyright: © Gerald D. Carr ZipcodeZoo Photo ID: 118715

Distribution

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Range and Population

Caribbean

Native: Pantropic Weed.

Reproduction

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Duration: Annual

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Cenchrus:

There are approximately 154 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus. Here are just 100 of them: C. ciliaris ibrahimii · C. pennisetiformis glabrata · C. aegyptius · C. aequiglumis · C. agrimonioides (Agrimony Sandbur) · C. agrimonioides var. agrimonioides (Kamanomano) · C. agrimonioides var. laysanensis (Kamanomano) · C. agrimonoides · C. albertsonii · C. alopecuroides · C. anjania · C. annularis · C. anomoplexis · C. asperifolius · C. australis · C. bambusoides · C. biflorus (India Sandbur) · C. brevisetus · C. brownei · C. brownii (Slim-Bristle Sandbur) · C. bulbifer · C. bulbosus · C. caliculatus · C. calyculatus · C. capitata · C. capitatus · C. cavanillesii · C. ciliare · C. ciliaris subsp. ibrahimii · C. ciliaris var. setigerus · C. ciliatus · C. colorata · C. crinitus · C. dactylolepis · C. digynus · C. distichophyllus · C. echinatus (Burgrass) · C. echinatus f. longispinus · C. echinatus var. brevisetus · C. echinatus var. tribuloides · C. echinatus var. viridis · C. echinoides · C. ekmanianus · C. elliotii · C. elliottii · C. elymoides · C. elymoides var. brevisetosus · C. elymoides var. elymoides · C. frutescens · C. fusiformis · C. geniculatus · C. glaucus · C. gracilis · C. gracillimus (Slender Sandbur) · C. heterochaetus · C. hexaflorus · C. hilarii · C. hillebrandianus · C. hillehrandianus · C. hirsutus · C. hordeiformis · C. humilis · C. hybrid · C. hystrix · C. inflexus · C. insularis · C. laevigatus · C. laniflorus · C. lapeta · C. lappaceus · C. laysanensis · C. lechleri · C. leptacanthus · C. limensis · C. linearis · C. longifolius · C. longispinus (Burgrass) · C. macrocarpus · C. macrocephalus · C. macrostachyus · C. marginalis · C. marquisense · C. melanostachyus · C. microcephalus · C. mitis · C. montanus · C. mucronatus · C. multiflorus · C. muricatus · C. mutabilis · C. mutilatus · C. myosuroides (Big Sandbur) · C. myosuroides var. longisetus · C. nervosus var. ramosus · C. niloticus · C. orientalis · C. ovatus · C. pallidus · C. palmeri · C. paniceus

Bibliography

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CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) (Weed CIBA)
Catasús Guerra, L. J. Cavanillesia Altera
Chen Shouliang, Jin Yuexing, Zhuang Tide, Fang Wenzhe, Sheng Guoying, Liu Liang, Wu Zhenlan, Lu Shenglian, Sun Bisin, Hu Zhihao, Wang Song, Sun Xiangzhong, Wang Huiqin, Yang Xilin, Wang Chaopin, Li Binggui & Wen Shaobin. 1990. Gramineae (Poaceae) (4). In: Chen Shouliang, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 10(1):1401
Chen Shouliang, Zhuang Tide, Fang Wenzhe, Sheng Guoying, Jin Yuexing, Liu Liang, Sun Bisin, Hu Zhihao & Wang Song. 1997. Gramineae (Poaceae) (5). In: Chen Shouliang, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 10(2): 1301
Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana. (F Mesoamer)
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993–. Flora of North America. (F NAmer)
Holm, L. et al. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds. (Atlas WWeed)
Liu Liang, Zhu Taiping, Chen Wenli, Wu Zhenlan & Lu Shenglian. Gramineae (Poaceae) (2). In: Liu Liang, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 9(2): 1405
Lu Sheng-lian, Sun Yong-hua, Liu Shang-wu, Yang Yong-chang, Wu Zhen-lan, Kuo Pen-chao, Yang Hsi-ling, Wang Chao-pin & Tsui Nai-ran. 1987. Gramineae (3). In: Kuo Pen-chao, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 9(3): 1329
Parsons, W. T. & E. G. Cuthbertson. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia. (Noxweed Aust)
Seed Regulatory and Testing Branch, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S.D.A. 1999. State noxious-weed seed requirements recognized in the administration of the Federal Seed Act. (State Noxweed Seed)
Terrell, E. E. et al. 1986. Agric. Handb. no. 505. (AH 505)
Wang Zhengping, Ye Guanghan, Yang Yaling, Yu Zehua, Hu Chenhua, Geng Bojie, Feng Xuelin, Jia Liangzhi, Xia Nianhe, Li Dezhu, Zhang Weiping, Xue Jiru, Zhu Zhengde, Zhao Qiseng, Chen Shouliang, Sheng Guoying, Chen Shaoyun, Yao Changyu, Lu Jionglin, Sun Jiliang, Lin Wantao, Yi Tongpei, Zhao Huiru, Wen Taihui & Dai Qihui. 1996. Gramineae (Poaceae) (1).
Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 2003. Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae): III. Subfamilies Panicoideae, Aristidoideae, Arundinoideae, and Danthonioideae. Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 46:146.

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Notes

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Contributors:

Bisby, F.A., Y.R. Roskov, M.A. Ruggiero, T.M. Orrell, L.E. Paglinawan, P.W. Brewer, N. Bailly, J. van Hertum, eds (2007). Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2007 Annual Checklist. Species 2000: Reading, U.K.
Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed November 12, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 28 providers.
USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL (April 26, 2008)

Data Sources:

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 12, 2007:

Australian National Herbarium
, Australian National Herbarium
Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Bishop Museum Natural History Specimen Data
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Virtual Herbarium Darwin Core format
Herbarium of the University of Aarhus, The AAU Herbarium Database
Herbier de la Guyane, Herbier de la Guyane
Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad
, Biodiversidad de Costa Rica
Israel Nature and Parks Authority, Israel Nature and Parks Authority
Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Botanical Garden
National Herbarium of New South Wales, NSW herbarium collection
National Herbarium of New South Wales, Plants of Papua New Guinea
School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Arizona State University Vascular Plant Herbarium
SysTax, EMBRAPA
SysTax, Herbarium Universitat Ulm
SysTax, SysTax
SysTax, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso
Taiwan Biodiversity Information Facility, Magnoliophyta
The Danish Biodiversity Information Facility, Galapagos grasses and sedges
UK National Biodiversity Network, Botanical Society of the British Isles - Vascular Plants Database
USDA PLANTS, USDA PLANTS Database
University of Alabama Biodiversity and Systematics, Herbarium
Utah State University, USU-UTC Specimen Database

Identifiers:

Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number (TSN): 40575
Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13753331
Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:56629-3
Natural Heritage Network Species Identifier: PMPOA1C050
U.S.D.A. Plant Symbol: CEECH
Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 27379

Footnotes:

Shou-liang Chen, De-Zhu Li, Guanghua Zhu, Zhenlan Wu, Sheng-lian Lu, Liang Liu, Zheng-ping Wang, Bi-xing Sun, Zheng-de Zhu, Nianhe Xia, Liang-zhi Jia, Zhenhua Guo, Wenli Chen, Xiang Chen, Yang Guangyao, Sylvia M. Phillips, Chris Stapleton, Robert J. Soreng, Susan G. Aiken, Nikolai N. Tzvelev, Paul M. Peterson, Stephen A. Renvoize, Marina V. Olonova & Klaus Ammann "Poaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 22. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org.

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Last Revised: May 05, 2008