Rev. Gen. Pl. 3: 369 (1893);.- Type: Martin s.n., from seeds from Brasil (holo- M).
Panicum tenuissinmum Schrank, Denkschr. Bot.Ges. Regensb. 2: 26 (1822);
Vilfa minutiflora Trin., Diss. Bot. 158 (1824);
Sporobolus minutiflorus (Trin.) Link, Hort. Berol. 1: 88 (1827).
Regional litterature: FWTA: 411 (1972); FTEA: 386 (1974); Gram. Togo: 327 (1983); Gram. Cameroun: 159 (1982); Poac. CI: 214, fig. (1995); Fl. Zambesiaca 10,2: 190 (1999); Pl. Vasc. Guiné-Bissau: 175 (2006); Fl. Guinea Bissau: 143 (2008); Fl. Guinée: 479 (2009).
Description:
* Tufted annual of 30-60 cm high. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, fragile. Leaves flat, 10-20 cm long and 2-5 mm wide; ligule short fringe of hairs.
* Inflorescence an oblong delicate panicle of 10-40 cm long and 2-6 cm broad, the lower part often inside the uppermost sheath, with capillary branches of up to 3.5 cm long, glabrous in the axils. Spikelets on capillary pedicels of 3-4 mm long.
* Spikelets lanceolate, often dark grey, 0.8-1 mm long, open at maturity. Lower glume oblong, membranous, truncate and denticulate, 0.1-0.2 mm long; upper glume ovate oblong, 0.3-0.5 mm long, sub acute. Lemma ovate, as long as spikelet. Anthers 3, 0.1-0.2 mm long. Caryopsis obovoid, truncate, 0.4-0.6 mm long.
Distribution West Africa: Senegal, Guinea Bisau, Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon and CAR.
Distribution world-wide: Tropical Americas; introduced in C, E and southern Africa.