Rhodora 22: 104 (1922).- Type: Chase 6221, Maricao, Puerto Rico (holo- US).
Syntherisma argillacea Hitchc.& Chase, Contrb. U.S.Herb. 18: 296 (1917);
Panicum sanguinale L. var. lecardii Pilg., Bot. Jahrb. 30:118 (1901).- Type: Lecard 243, Mali (holo- BR, iso- K);
Digitaria lecardii (Pilger) Stapf, FTA 9: 450 (1919);
Panicum sanguinale var. lecardii Pilger, Bot. Jahrb. 30 (118 (1901);
Digitaria argillacea f. acetosa H. Scholz, Willdenowia 9: 68 (1979).- Type: Brunel 4222
Regional litterature: FWTA: 452 (1972); Ghana grasses: 134 (1977); Gram. Togo: 194 (1983); Fl. Mauritania: 449 (1991); Gram. Cameroun: 313 (1992); Poac. CI: 426, fig. (1995); Pl. Mauritanie: 301 (1998); Poac. Niger: 449, fig. (1999); Fl. Bénin: 198 (2006); Pl. Vasc. Guiné-Bissau: 165 (2006); Fl. Guinea Bissau: 135 (2008); Pl. Burkina Faso: 79 (2012); Fl. Chad (2013).
Description:
* Annual slender erect bunchgrass 0.3-1.2 m branched or simple, nodes bearded. Leaves linear, 15-25 cm long; 3-4 mm wide, flat, glabrous to hairy with scabrid margins; base barely rounded, hairy; ligule a short ciliolate membrane; sheath often covered with short dense hairs.
* Inflorescence subdigitate of 5-12 slender ascending racemes on a short common axis (RBG 2-4, paired, or digitate, erect). Racemes flexuous, unilateral, 10-15 cm long; rachis wingless, triangular, 0.4-0.5 mm wide, puberulous on surface. Spikelets in threes (or four) crowded along one side of narrow rachis or small cluster at the basis; pedicels unequal, 2-4 mm long, glabrous, or bearing a few hairs.
* Spikelets oblong, acute, 1.8-2.2 mm long. Lower glume absent or obscure; upper glume lanceolate, acute, 0.75 length of spikelet, membranous, 3 -veined, pubescent and setose, hairy on veins, hairs red. Lower lemma oblong acute, as long as spikelet, 7 -veined; pubescent and setose with red hairs; upper lemma ovate, 1.8-2 mm long, cartilaginous, thinner on margins, black; shiny, acute.
Distribution West Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, CAR, Chad.
Distribution world-wide: Latin America.