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Cenchrus biflorus
Also called India Sandbur, Indian Sandburr
Indian sandbur is a low-growing annual grass of dry savanna, grown mainly for its seeds, which are used as famine food and in bread in parts of India and Africa. It is a weedy, short-lived plant that is grown or harvested rather than kept as an ornamental.
Cenchrus biflorus is a species of annual grass in the family Poaceae. Common names include Indian sandbur, Bhurat or Bhurut in India, Haskaneet in Sudan, Aneeti in the Arabic dialect of Mauritania, Ƙarangiya in the Hausa language of Nigeria, Tòdlɗi in the Karai-karai language and Ngibbi in the Kanuri language of Nigeria. In the francophone countries of the Sahel, it is usually referred to as "cram-cram" .
It is common in the Sahel savannas of Africa, south of the Sahara. According to a botanical criteria of geographer Robert Capot-Rey, the northern limit of Cenchrus biflorus defines the southern boundary of the Sahara.
A traditional food plant in Africa, this little-known grain has potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable landcare. It is thus considered a famine food in several desertic areas. Cenchrus biflorus is also a valuable fodder plant for ruminants, particularly at its early stages of development.
Pearl millet · Buffel grass · Kikuyugrass · Southern sandbur · Mat sandbur · Oriental Fountain Grass · Annual Mission Grass · Elephant Grass · Cenchrus riparius · Crimson Fountaingrass · Birdwood grass · Sandbur
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Cenchrus biflorus by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
