Cenchrus echinatus L.

Southern Sandbur; Hedgehog Grass; Bristly Sandspur

Herb

Annual

Vascular

Southern Sandspur is a native annual grass in the Grass family (Poaceae). It can be found in the southern half of Alabama. Southern Sandspur grows in fields, on beaches, in roadside ditches, in vacant lots, and in other disturbed habitats. It prefers dry, sandy soils. It is an ascending herb, rooting at the nodes. It has a fibrous root system. Stems are from 1-3 feet in length. The leaves are linear, 3-8 inches in length, sparsely pubescent above with papillose based hairs, glabrous below, with scaberulous margins. The leaf sheath is shorter than to as long as the internode and is glabrous except for hairs along the open margin. The ligule is a ring of erect hairs on the light-colored collar. Flowers are produced in spike-like terminal panicles. Flowers are produced in pairs inside of a cup-like involucre. The involucre has an inner and an outer whorl of flattened bristles. The outer bristles are about ½ the length of the inner bristles. The inner bristles are often purplish in color. There are spines between the two whorls of bristles. The spines and bristles are retrorsely barbed. The fruit is a grain. Southern Sandspur can be a serious weed of row crops. The sharp spines and bristles of the involucre can easily puncture flesh.--A. Diamond

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Native

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