Cenchrus setaceus
NPPA pest plant
Environmental Weed (2024)
Common names
African fountain grass
Biostatus
Exotic
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Grasses
Detailed description
Thickly-tufted perennials to 100cm, light green at base with narrow inrolled leaves; branching intravaginal. Sheath rounded or slightly keeled above, subcoriaceous, margins long-ciliate. Ligule 0.3–0.7 mm, a membranous densely ciliate rim. Collar hairs to 2.5 mm. Blade 15–30 cm × 0.5–1.5 mm., stiff, folded or involute, long-tapering, adaxially very scabrid; margins especially with a few scattered long hairs, tip filiform, acute. Culm 30–45cm, erect, internodes with many finely scabrid ridges. Panicle 8.5–20 cm, narrow-cylindric, dense, spike-like, often tinged reddish-purple; rachis hairs short, soft. Spikelets 5–6mm, lanceolate, acute, pale green to purple, solitary or in clusters of 2–3 on ciliate pedicels to 3 mm; involucre of numerous plumose, fine unequa bristles, one longer but not stouter bristle to 35 mm. Lower glume a hyaline scale to 1 mm or 0. Upper glume 2–2.5 mm, 1-nerved, hyaline, minutely scabrid. Lower floret male or sterile; lemma 4.5–5 mm, 3-nerved, membranous, nerves minutely scaberulous near tip; palea = lemma, hyaline, rounded, keeled near tip, minutely scaberulous, or palea 0; anthers 2–3 mm or 0. Upper floret hermaphrodite; lemma 5.5–6 mm, 5-nerved, membranous, nerves scaberulous near mucronate tip; palea 4.5–5mm, hyaline, keels scarcely scaberulous near tip; lodicules 0.3–0.4 mm; anthers 2–3 mm; styles connate, stigmas free; caryopsis approx. 3 × 1.2 mm (Edgar & Connor, 2000).
Habitat
Terrestrial.
Conservation status
Not applicable
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Synonyms
Pennisetum setaceum Chiov.
Ecology
Year naturalised
1982
Origin
W asia - N Africa
Reason for introduction
Ornamental.
Life cycle and dispersal
Perennial. All utilize the C4 photosynthetic pathway and are +/- winter dormant. Apomictic (asexual reproduction where embryos develop without fertilization) and to a smaller degree, out-crossing. Pollination is required for apomictic seed development. Seeds of crimson fountaingrass and feathertop require several months (fall through early to mid-spring) to mature. Flower heads typically remain intact during this period. Most seeds germinate late spring through early summer. Spikelets with bristles disperse in late spring with wind, water, human activities, and by clinging to animals.
Other information
Etymology
cenchrus: From the Greek cenchros which means millet
National Pest Plant Accord species
This plant is listed in the 2020 National Pest Plant Accord. The National Pest Plant Accord (NPPA) is an agreement to prevent the sale and/or distribution of specified pest plants where either formal or casual horticultural trade is the most significant way of spreading the plant in New Zealand. For up to date information and an electronic copy of the 2020 Pest Plant Accord manual (including plant information and images) visit the MPI website.
Environmental Weed (2024)
This plant is named in a list of 386 environmental weeds in New Zealand 2024 prepared by DOC. 759 candidate species were considered for inclusion on this new comprehensive list of environmental weeds in New Zealand. The species considered were drawn from published lists of weed species, lists of plants that must be reported or managed by law if observed, existing national and regional programmes and agreements for pest management, and species already managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC). Candidate species were then assessed to see if they were fully naturalised and whether they have more than minor impacts in natural ecosystems. Read the full report here.
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
CENSET
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Edgar E, Connor HE. 2000. Flora of New Zealand. Vol. V. Grasses. Manaaki Whenua Press, Christchurch, NZ. 650 p.