Botanical name: Cenchrus biflorus    Family: Poaceae (Grass family)
Synonyms: Cenchrus barbatus, Cenchrus rajasthanensis, Cenchrus triflorus

Indian sandbur is a clustered annual grass with rising up stems, up to 10-100 cm tall. The plant roots and branches arise from the constricted nodes. The stems are cylindrical, smooth and hairless. The leaves are alternate with linear blades, 2-35 cm long x 5-8 mm broad. The leaf surfaces are rough, finely velvet-hairy or hairy. The inflorescence is a spike-like panicle, 3-15 cm long x 9-12 mm in diameter. The axis bears 1-3 lanceshaped spikelets enclosed by a diamond-shaped involucre of prickly bristles. The burrs fall off when the seed becomes mature. The burs strongly attach to fur or skin for transport, and can hurt animals and humans. Indian Sandbur is found in tropical Africa, extending through Arabia to NW India, predominantly in Rajasthan.

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The flower labeled Indian Sandbur is ...