Cenchrus echinatus | SeedImages

Species category

Weed

Common name

southern sandbur, burr grass, common sandbur, sandbur, 'ume'alu

Diagnostic characters

Planting unit

BurrBurr:
Has spikelets or flowers that are compressed closely together by lacking a central axis. The spikelet glumes are hard and pointed, e.g. buffalograss.

Shape

Spiny and globose

Size

Length: 5 mm
Width: 5 mm
Thickness: 5 mm

Color

Brown

Texture

Fine and long spines

Lemma

Lanceolate

Palea

Mostly obscured by the lemmaLemma:
One of two bracts of the grass floret; it is located on the side nearest the embryo and opposite the rachilla.
and glumesGlume:
The pair of chaffy bracts that occur at the base of a grass spikelet, often completely enclosing it.
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Other structures

Long spines on upper involucreInvolucre:
A number of bracts (often leaf-like) that subtend an inflorescence such as the head in sunflowers.
; many fine spines below.

Identification notes

BurrBurr:
Has spikelets or flowers that are compressed closely together by lacking a central axis. The spikelet glumes are hard and pointed, e.g. buffalograss.
is a group of single-seeded spikeletsSpikelet:
One or more florets that are subtended by a pair of bracts called glumes. Spikelets are pedicellate if located on a pedicle and sessile if attached directly to the rachis. Often spikelets with single florets have remnants of a second floret, usually a lemma.
surrounded by spiny involucreInvolucre:
A number of bracts (often leaf-like) that subtend an inflorescence such as the head in sunflowers.
bracts. Cenchrus floretsFloret:
A small flower in a clustered inflorescence (e.g., sunflower, grasses). In grasses, a floret consists of the lemma, palea, stamens, and pistil.
have lemmasLemma:
One of two bracts of the grass floret; it is located on the side nearest the embryo and opposite the rachilla.
with a U-shaped line above the callusCallus:
The hard base of grass florets or spikelets, just above the point of disarticulation.
. The scutellumScutellum:
A shield-shaped highly modified, single cotyledon in grasses (Poaceae) that absorbs nutrients from the endosperm and provides energy for germination.
line of the caryopsisCaryopsis:
The single-seeded fruit or grain of the grass family (Poaceae); the fruit wall (pericarp) is united with the seed coat (testa).
extends to nearly the apexApical:
The distal end of the fruit or seed away from the point of attachment or attachment scar.
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