Hillside Burrgrass

Hillside Burrgrass

Cenchrus caliculatus Cav.

Family: - Poaceae.

Names:

Hillside Burrgrass.

Summary:

Perennial grass with a spiny burr.

Description:

Cotyledons:

One

Leaves:

Blade - Flat.

Ligule - Rim of hairs.

Auricles -

Stems:

Solid. Nodes hairless.

Flower head:

Simple spike at the ends of stems. Spikelets surrounded by rough bristles that form a cup shape.

Flowers:

Spikelets - Single usually. Flattened on the back. Stalkless. Fall with the surrounding bristles.

Florets - 2. Lower one male or empty. Upper one bisexual.

Glumes - Translucent.

Palea -

Lemma -

Stamens - 3.

Anthers -

Fruit:

Spiny Burr.

Seeds:

Oval. Flattened on the back.

Roots:

Fibrous.

Key Characters:

Biology:

Life cycle:

Perennial.

Physiology:

Reproduction:

Flowering times:

Seed Biology and Germination:

Vegetative Propagules:

Hybrids:

Allelopathy:

Population Dynamics and Dispersal:

Origin and History:

Australia. New Zealand. South East Asia.

Distribution:

NSW, QLD.

Habitats:

Climate:

Sub tropical.

Soil:

Plant Associations:

Significance:

Beneficial:

Fodder.

Detrimental:

Weed

Toxicity:

Symptoms:

Treatment:

Legislation:

None.

Management and Control:

Thresholds:

Eradication strategies:

Herbicide resistance:

Biological Control:

Related plants:

Birdwood grass(C. setiger)

Buffel grass (C. ciliaris)

Fine bristled Burrgrass (C. brownii)

Gallons Curse (C. biflorus)

Mossman River grass (C. echinatus)

Spiny Burrgrass (C. incertus, C. longispinus)

Plants of similar appearance:

References:

Lazarides, M. and Hince, B. (1993). CSIRO handbook of economic plants of Australia. (CSIRO, Melbourne). #277.3.

Acknowledgments:

Collated by HerbiGuide. Phone 08 98444064 or www.herbiguide.com.au for more information.