Cenchrus ciliaris

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Photographs by: Dr. Maulik Gadani

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  • Botanical Name : Cenchrus ciliaris L.
  • Cenchrus comes from a Greek word kenchros means a kind of millet.

  • Synonyms : Pennisetum ciliare Link., Cenchrus longifolius Hochst.
  • Common Name : Anjan Dhaman
  • Common Name Details :
  • Plant Family : Poaceae (Gramineae)
  • According to the Rules of  ICBN the names of the families should end in -aceae. Thus the new name for the family Gramineae became Poaceae. However, the name Gramineae is also exempted and conserved under 'Nomina Conservanda' because of their constant use for a long time.

  • Plant Form : Grasses
  • Occurrence (Sectors) : 1, 8, 26
  • Occurrence (Special Areas) : Indroda Park, Punit Van, Van Chetana Kendra, Aranya Van

About Cenchrus ciliaris Plant :

  • Habit : A perennial herb.
  • Stem : Tufted, erect or decumbent and much branched from the base, stout or slender, leafy or ascending from a branched often nodose rootstock.
  • Leaves : Linear, tapering to a fine point, glabrous or hairy.
  • Inflorescence : Racemes cylindric, dense, pale or purplish; rachis finely scaberulous; involucels subsessile; outer bristles slender, short, not ciliate; inner bristles dilated and connate into a ring at the base.
  • Flowers  : Spikelets oblong-lanceolate, 3-1 in each involucel. Glumes 4; lower involucral glume ovate-lanceolate, acute, faintly 1-nerved, hyaline; upper involucral ovate-lanceolate, acute, faintly 1-nerved, hyaline; lower floral glume ovate-lanceolate, cuspidately acuminate, 3-5 nerved, paleate, usually male, the palea narrowly lanceolate, as long as the glume; upper floral glume as long as the lower one, lanceolate, 3-5 nerved; palea lanceolate, as long as the glume.
  • Flowering and Fruiting Time : July-January
  • Significance :
    • An excellent fodder for horses and cattle.
    • It is believed to increase the milk of cows.