Cenchrus spinifex | SeedImages

Species category

Weed

Common name

coastal sandbur

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

Spiny

Lemma

Lanceolate

Palea

Mostly enclosed by the lemmaLemma:
One of two bracts of the grass floret; it is located on the side nearest the embryo and opposite the rachilla.
.

Other structures

Bur has many spines.

Identification notes

Cenchrus burrsBurr:
Has spikelets or flowers that are compressed closely together by lacking a central axis. The spikelet glumes are hard and pointed, e.g. buffalograss.
are a spiny involucreInvolucre:
A number of bracts (often leaf-like) that subtend an inflorescence such as the head in sunflowers.
subtending a cluster of 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.
. The burrsBurr:
Has spikelets or flowers that are compressed closely together by lacking a central axis. The spikelet glumes are hard and pointed, e.g. buffalograss.
are seldom found contaminating seed lots; however, the 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.
, floretsFloret:
A small flower in a clustered inflorescence (e.g., sunflower, grasses). In grasses, a floret consists of the lemma, palea, stamens, and pistil.
, and caryopsesCaryopsis:
The single-seeded fruit or grain of the grass family (Poaceae); the fruit wall (pericarp) is united with the seed coat (testa).
are occasionally found.