Cenchrus echinatus L. - Southern Sand-Bur
Family -
Stems:
Leaves:
Ligule.
Inflorescence:
N/A
Flowers:
Spikelet close-up.
Flowering - April - November.
Habitat - Beaches, riverbanks, disturbed sites, roadsides.
Origin - Native to North America.
Other information - This weedy and painful grass can be found in the southern 1/3 of Alabama. The plant can be partially identified by its cylindric inflorescence of dense, spiny spikelets. The spines of the spikelet are in two series (inner and outer).
The genus Cenchrus derives from the Greek "cenchr(us)" meaning "a kind of millet."
The species epithet echinatus derives from the Greek "echin" meaning "a hedgehog, a sea-urchin, spiny."
Alabama Distribution:
Photographs taken off Magnolia Avenue, Auburn, AL., 10-6-04.