S. African J. Sci. 37: 184 (1941).- Type: Rehman 5386, South Africa (holo- W, iso- K).
Diplachne biflora Hack., Bull. Herb. Boissier 3: 387 (1895).
Regional litterature: FWTA 3(2): 397 (1972); FTEA Gramineae: 286, fig. 78 (1974); Gram. Cameroun: 110, fig 24 (1992); Poicelot, Poac. CI: 152, fig. (1995); Fl. Zambesiaca 10,2: 36, fig (1999).
Description:
* Caespiteuse perennial with a short rhizome, 40-90 cm tall. Culms erect, glabrous, thickened at the base. Leaves 10-40 cm long and 1-5 mm wide, ferm, scabrid and tapering; ligule truncate, denticulate, 0.5 mm long.
* Inflorescence with 6-15 racemes of 3-9 cm long, arranged along a central axis of 7-20 cm long.
* Spikelets reddish-brown, 3-5 flowered, 6-9 mm long with the terminal floret reduced. Glumes lanceolate, 2.5-8 mm long; lemmas oblong elliptical, 4-6 mm long, pubescent on either side of the mid-nerve below, obtuse or notched at the tip; awn up to 8 mm long, arising about 1/3 the length of the lemma from its tip. Grain linear-oblong, 2 mm long.
Distribution West Africa: Ivory Coast, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon.
Distribution world-wide: Tanzania, southern Africa.