Fl. Abyss. 2: 398 (1850).- Type: Schimper 1692, Ethiopia, Djeladjeranne (isosyn- BM, K,L,P,TUB); Quartin Dillon s.n., Ethiopia, Avar Semmaka (syn- P).
SYNONYMS
Vilfa festiva (A. Rich.) Steud., Syn. Pl. Glum. 1: 158 (1854);
Sporobolus fertivus var. fibrosus Stent, Bothalia 2: 264 (1927).- Type: Chevalier 8626, CAR (syn- K); Chevalier 9225, CAR (syn- K).
Regional litterature: FWTA: 410 (1972); FTEA: 384 (1974); Ghana grasses: 238 (1977); Gram. Togo: 322 (1983); Fl. Mauritanie 2: 472 (1991); Gram. Cameroun: 159, fig. 32 (1992); Pl. Mauritanie: 291 (1998); Poac. CI: 208, fig. (1995); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 155, fig (1995); Poac. Niger: 302 , fig. (1999); Fl. Zambesiaca 10,2: 192 (1999); Fl. Bénin: 246 (2006); Fl. Guinée: 478 (2009); Pl. Burkina Faso: 114 (2012); Fl. Chad (2013); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 148 (2015).
Description:
* Small, densely tufted perennial bunchgrass, 0.2-0.6 m; sheaths glabrous, the accumulated bases forming a dense fibrous mass at ground level. Culms erect, very slender, simple. Leaves basal, linear, occasionally expanded but usually tightly rolled or folded and filiform, 5-8 cm long and 0.2-0.5 mm wide, glabrous, with smooth margins; the base passing straight into the sheath; ligule a narrow hairy rim; sheath glabrous, margins shortly ciliate. Roots a fine dense fibrous mat.
* Inflorescence a delicate lax, diffuse panicles, 5-10 cm long with tiny spikelets clustered towards the tips of fine hair-like branchlets; the longer branches often hidden by the upper sheath, up to 3.5 cm long.
* Spikelets often dark grey, open at maturity, 1-1.4 mm long. Glumes decidouous, shorter than spikelet; lower glume ovate, sometimes mucronate, 0.3-0.5 mm long; upper glume ovate oblong, acute, 0.5-0.8 mm long. Lemma ovate, membranous, as long as spikelets, 1-veined, grey or purple, acute. Anthers 3, 0.5-0.8 mm long. Caryopsis ellipsoid or obovoid, flattened, 0.5-0.7 mm long.
Vernacular names: Amsansan (arabe, Vaillant 1519); hudo bodiol (foulfouldé, Malzy 212); hudo walohol (foulfouldé, Mahy 212); manga dangula (foulfouldé, Kieffer 8, Malzy 212); samim (kotoko, Jacques-Félix 1296, Vaillant 1519); saraouel ardé (foulfouldé, Gov. Cam. 1).
Distribution West Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, CAR, Chad, Sudan, South Sudan.
Distribution Africa world-wide: Ethiopia, Uganda, DRC, Equatorial Guinea and C, NE, E and southern Africa, India.