Ann. Bot. (Oxford) 109: 1317 (2012).- Schimper 1707, Ethiopia, Tacaze (holo- P; iso- B,BM.GH,K,MO,PRE,S,W).
Leptochloa uniflora Hochstetter ex A. Richard, Tent. Fl. Abyss. 2: 409 (1851).
Regional litterature: FWTA: 397 (1972); FTEA: 276 (1974); Ghana grasses: 178 (1977); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 102 (1995); Fl. Zambesiaca 10,2: 28, fig (1999); Fl. Bénin: 215 (2006).
Description:
* Loosely tufted, erect or trailing annual, sometimes weak perennial, 0.3-1.5 m high. Culms erect or geniculately ascending. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, 4-12 cm long and 8-15 mm broad, flaccid thin, abruptly acute, glabrous and scabrid margins; ligule lacerate, 1.3-3.5 mm long; sheath glabrous. Roots very fine.
* Inflorescence narrow and terminal, 15-30 cm long and 5-8 cm wide, with numerous ascending racemes along a central axis. Racemes straight, slender pale green, one-sided, 2.5-5 cm long.
* Spikelets one-flowered, 2 mm long, 2-2.8 mm long, subsessile, overlapping, rarely 2-flowered. Lower glume 2-2.3 mm long, lanceolate, acuminate, exceeding the floret; upper glume 2.2-2.5 mm long. Lemma narrowly elliptic, 1.6-2.5 mm long, light green, entire, acute; nerves faint; palea subequal to lemma, narrowly ovate. Caryopsis ellipsoid, 1-1.2 mm long, dark reddish, trigonous, smooth to slightly rugose.
Distribution West Africa: Ghana, Benin, Nigeria.
Distribution world-wide: Ethiopia, Uganda, DRC and Congo, southern Africa, India and Sri Lanka.