Chapter 22
Cenchrus longispinus (Hack) Fernald, One
of the most Aggressive Alien Plants
on the Romanian Black Sea Coast
Marius Fa ˘ga ˘raș
Abstract Cenchrus longispinus (Hack) Fernald is one of the alien plants with a
quick spreading on the Romanian Black Sea coast. Big populations of longspine
sandbur have been recorded in Mamaia, the biggest resort on the Romanian Black
Sea coast, situated near Constanța city, one of the most important harbors of the
Black Sea. In some areas of Mamaia, longspine sandbur is already occupying large
surfaces of the beaches and is causing discomfort to the tourists who walk barefoot
on the sand. Smaller local populations and isolated specimens were recorded on the
beach between Mamaia and Na ˘vodari, in Constanta harbor, in Constanta city
(in Ta ˘ba ˘ca ˘rie park) and on the beach of Vama Veche, a small resort close to the
border with Bulgaria. In the coastal area of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve,
longspine sandbur has not been noticed yet.
The spreading of this alien plant in the coastal area depends on humans and
animals. Its spiny burs are dispersed in many ways such as clinging to the fur of
animals, shoes, clothing, or car tyres. Cenchrus longispinus was accidentally
introduced in Mamaia resort most likely by the tourists, or through the goods
trade in the resort. Constanta harbor could also be a gate for the entering of this
species on the Romanian seacoast. The quick increase of the sandy surfaces infested
by Cenchrus longispinus over the past 5 years in Mamaia resort and north of
Mamaia, indicates the high ability of the species to occupy new territories and the
risk of its spreading along the coastal area of Romania in the neighboring countries.
Mowing the colonies with longspine sandbur and the meadows infested with this
noxious weed, before the maturing of the burs is a non-polluting method for the
control of this alien species.
Keywords Cenchrus longispinus • Invasive alien plant • Romanian Black Sea
coast • Mamaia resort
M. Fa ˘ga ˘raș (*)
Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Ovidius University of Constanta, 1 University
Street, 900470 Constanta, Romania
e-mail: marius.fagaras@univ-ovidius.ro
© Springer International Publishing AG 2018
C.W. Finkl, C. Makowski (eds.), Diversity in Coastal Marine Sciences, Coastal
Research Library 23, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-57577-3_22
383
Cenchrus longispinus (Hack) Fernald, One
of the most Aggressive Alien Plants
on the Romanian Black Sea Coast
Marius Fa ˘ga ˘raș
Abstract Cenchrus longispinus (Hack) Fernald is one of the alien plants with a
quick spreading on the Romanian Black Sea coast. Big populations of longspine
sandbur have been recorded in Mamaia, the biggest resort on the Romanian Black
Sea coast, situated near Constanța city, one of the most important harbors of the
Black Sea. In some areas of Mamaia, longspine sandbur is already occupying large
surfaces of the beaches and is causing discomfort to the tourists who walk barefoot
on the sand. Smaller local populations and isolated specimens were recorded on the
beach between Mamaia and Na ˘vodari, in Constanta harbor, in Constanta city
(in Ta ˘ba ˘ca ˘rie park) and on the beach of Vama Veche, a small resort close to the
border with Bulgaria. In the coastal area of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve,
longspine sandbur has not been noticed yet.
The spreading of this alien plant in the coastal area depends on humans and
animals. Its spiny burs are dispersed in many ways such as clinging to the fur of
animals, shoes, clothing, or car tyres. Cenchrus longispinus was accidentally
introduced in Mamaia resort most likely by the tourists, or through the goods
trade in the resort. Constanta harbor could also be a gate for the entering of this
species on the Romanian seacoast. The quick increase of the sandy surfaces infested
by Cenchrus longispinus over the past 5 years in Mamaia resort and north of
Mamaia, indicates the high ability of the species to occupy new territories and the
risk of its spreading along the coastal area of Romania in the neighboring countries.
Mowing the colonies with longspine sandbur and the meadows infested with this
noxious weed, before the maturing of the burs is a non-polluting method for the
control of this alien species.
Keywords Cenchrus longispinus • Invasive alien plant • Romanian Black Sea
coast • Mamaia resort
M. Fa ˘ga ˘raș (*)
Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Ovidius University of Constanta, 1 University
Street, 900470 Constanta, Romania
e-mail: marius.fagaras@univ-ovidius.ro
© Springer International Publishing AG 2018
C.W. Finkl, C. Makowski (eds.), Diversity in Coastal Marine Sciences, Coastal
Research Library 23, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-57577-3_22
383