Cenchrus biflorus

Cenchrus biflorus Roxb., Fl. Ind. 1: 238. 1820; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 89. 1897; Bor, Grasses Burma, Ceyl. Ind. Pak. 287. 1960; Sharma & Khosla, Grasses Punj. and Chandigarh 117. 1989; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 243; C. annularis Anderss. in Peters, Reise Mossam. Bot. 553. 1864; C. barbatus Schumach., Beskr. Guin. Pl. 43. 1827; C. catharticus Delilah, Cat. Hort. Monsp. 18 Index Seminum (MPU) 1838: 4. 1838.

Annual, caespitose, with erect or geniculately ascending culms, up to 80 cm long, branched from near the base, glabrous. Leaves basal and cauline; leaf blade linear-lanceolate or ovate- lanceolate, 5-15 cm x 3-6 mm, surfaces scaberulous, sparsely puberulous or pilose, margin scaberulous, apex acuminate; leaf sheaths loose, inflated, open for most of their length, glabrous; ligule a fringe of hairs, up to 2 mm long. Inflorescence a spiciform panicle, linear, 2-11 cm long; rachis spiral, angular, scabrous, bearing deciduous burrs, burrs shortly separated, not contiguous or overlapping. Each burr composed of 1-3 spikelets enclosed by involucre. Involucre ovate, up to 11 mm long, base obconical, glabrous, involucre composed of bristles: outer involucral bristles connate below into a disk, ca. 1 mm long and 2-4 mm in diameter; inner involucral bristles 7-15, longer than the outer, up to 11 mm long, flattened, grooved on the outer face, rigid, ciliate below, obtuse or spinose, retrosely scaberulous; outer involucral bristles many, small, thick, often spreading or sometimes reflexed. Spikelets ovate, slightly dorsally compressed, 4-5 mm long, 2-flowered, falling entire along with involucre; rachilla not extended beyond florets. Glumes shorter than the spikelets, ovate, acute, not keeled; lower glume ca. 2 mm long, membranous, 1-nerved; upper glume ca. 3 mm long, hyaline, 1-5-nerved. Lower floret: Barren; its lemma (lower lemma) membranous, slightly shorter than the spikelet, ovate, acuminate, hyaline, 5-7-nerved; palea (lower palea) small, hyaline or absent. Upper floret: Hermaphrodite; its lemma (upper lemma) as long as the spikelet, coriaceous, ovate-lanceolate, cuspidately acuminate, 5-nerved; its palea (upper palea) similar to upper lemma but slightly shorter. Stamens 3. Stigmas 2. Caryopsis oblong or suborbicular.

Flowering and Fruiting: December to April
Common Names: Burgrass, Indian Sandbur; Bhurat (Hindi)