Cenchrus longispinus

Mat sandbur

Family: Poaceae · Type: annual · Not Native

Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes

Mat sandbur is a naturalized annual grass found in southern San Joaquin Valley, southern coastal ranges, Peninsular Ranges, Mojave Desert, and Modoc Plateau at elevations below 1,500 meters in disturbed areas. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces green spikelets with distinctive burrlike seed heads that attach easily to clothing and animal fur. Growing with decumbent stems 10 to 90 centimeters long, it spreads across the ground in sprawling patches. Its leaves are narrow, 4 to 28 centimeters long and 1.5 to 5 millimeters wide, with strongly keeled sheaths and short ligules about 1 millimeter long. The seed heads are particularly notable, with 45 to 75 bracts forming a cylindric, reflexed cup that efficiently traps and disperses seeds.

Habitat: Disturbed areas

Bloom period: Jul-Sep

Elevation: < 1500 m

Bioregions: s ScV, SnJV, SCoRO, PR, MP (Lassen Co.), D

California counties: Kern, Fresno, Imperial, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Merced, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Ventura, El Dorado, Lassen, Yolo, Stanislaus, Solano, Santa Barbara, Tuolumne, San Joaquin, Glenn, Contra Costa

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.