Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Vunduzi River below Bunga Ranger Camp, northwestern Gorongosa National Park.

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Synonyms:	Gymnothrix nitens Anderss. Pennisetum benthamii Steud. var. nudum Hackel Pennisetum benthamii Steud. var. sambesiense Hackel Pennisetum benthamii Steud. var. ternatum Hackel Pennisetum blepharideum Gilli Pennisetum flavicomum Leeke Pennisetum gossweileri Stapf & Hubbard Pennisetum lachnorrhachis Peter Pennisetum nitens (Anderss.) Hackel Pennisetum pruinosum Leeke Pennisetum purpureum Schumach.
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Description:	Robust perennial grass, 1–6 m high, often forming large clumps. Leaves up to 120 cm long and 4 cm wide. Inflorescence a racemose panicle 7–30 cm long; rhachis cylindric, with or without short peduncle stumps, pubescent; involucre enclosing 1–5 spikelets, one of them sessile, the others shortly pedicelled; bristles hairless or obscurely ciliate, the longest 10–40 mm long. Spikelets 4.5–7 mm long. Inferior glume suppressed, the superior up to half the length of spikelet or rarely suppressed. Inferior lemma shorter or as long as spikelet. Superior lemma somewhat leathery and shining in the inferior half; anther tips usually bearing a tiny tuft of hairs.
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Derivation of specific name:	purpureus: purple
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Worldwide distribution:	Widespread in tropical Africa; introduced in many countries elsewhere and cultivated as fodder.
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Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 43. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 28. Clayton, W.D. (1989). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(3) Pages 180 - 181. Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Pages 53 - 54. As Pennisetum purpureum Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 108. As Pennisetum purpureum Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 134. As Pennisetum purpureum

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Flora of Malawi: Cenchrus purpureus
Flora of Mozambique: Cenchrus purpureus
Flora of Zambia: Cenchrus purpureus
Flora of Zimbabwe: Cenchrus purpureus
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Cenchrus purpureus

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Cenchrus purpureus
African Plant Database: Cenchrus purpureus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Cenchrus purpureus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Cenchrus purpureus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Cenchrus purpureus
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iNaturalist: Cenchrus purpureus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Cenchrus purpureus
JSTOR Plant Science: Cenchrus purpureus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Cenchrus purpureus
Plants of the World Online: Cenchrus purpureus
Tropicos: Cenchrus purpureus
Wikipedia: Cenchrus purpureus