Distribution: Eastern Washington, south to Mexico, east to much of the United States.
Habitat: Sandy river banks.
Flowers: July - September
Origin: Introduced
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Prostrate, widely matted annual, the culms solid.
Sheaths open, keeled, glabrous; ligules 1-1.5 mm. long with a fringe of hairs 2-4 times as long as the basal membrane; blades flat or folded, 2-6 mm. broad.
Inflorescence a crowded raceme of 5-10 spiny burs; spikelets 2-flowered, usually 2 per bur, 5-6 mm. long, tightly enclosed within and deciduous with the burs; lower flower sterile, upper flower perfect; burs finely pubescent, the spines numerous, flattened, 4-6 mm. in diameter; glumes narrow, shorter than the lemmas.
Publication: Rhodora 45(538): 388. 1943.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Cenchrus longispinus in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.
WA Flora Checklist: Cenchrus longispinus checklist entry.
E-Flora BC: Cenchrus longispinus atlas page.
CalPhotos: Cenchrus longispinus photos.
USDA Plants: Cenchrus longispinus information.
