CENCHRUS, in botany: A genus of the monocotyl order, belonging to the polygamia class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 4th order, Gramina. The involucre is laciniated, and echinate, or beset with small prickles, and bilobous. The calyx is a bilobous glume, with one staminal, and the other hermaphrodite. The hermaphrodite corolla is a pointless glume; there are three staminal; one seed: the male corolla a pointless glume; with three staminal.