Cenchrus is a widespread genus of plants in the grass family, native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. Its species are native to many countries in Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas, and various oceanic islands.
Common names include buffelgrasses, sandburs, and sand spur. Such names allude to the sharp, spine-covered burrs characterizing the inflorescences of the members of the genus. Those previously classified as Pennisetum are known commonly as fountaingrasses (fountain grasses).
Taxonomy
Pennisetum is a former genus that heavily overlaps with Cenchrus, and the boundary between them has been unclear. Cenchrus was derived from Pennisetum and the two are grouped in a monophyletic clade. A main morphological character that has been used to distinguish them is the degree of fusion of the bristles in the inflorescence, but this is often unreliable. In 2010, researchers proposed to transfer Pennisetum into Cenchrus, along with the related genus Odontelytrum. The genus is currently not accepted as separate from Cenchrus in Kew's Plants of the World Online database.
Pennisetum
Pennisetum is a former genus that heavily overlaps with Cenchrus, and the boundary between them has been unclear. Cenchrus was derived from Pennisetum and the two are grouped in a monophyletic clade. A main morphological character that has been used to distinguish them is the degree of fusion of the bristles in the inflorescence, but this is often unreliable. In 2010, researchers proposed to transfer Pennisetum into Cenchrus, along with the related genus Odontelytrum. The genus is currently not accepted as separate from Cenchrus in Kew's Plants of the World Online database.
Distribution
The various species are native to Africa, Asia, Australia, and Latin America, with some of them widely naturalized in Europe and North America, as well as on various oceanic islands.
