Ark. Bot. 11 (4): 17 (1912).- Type:
Andropogon insulare Linn., Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 2: 1304 (1759);
Trichachne insularis (L.) Nees, Fl. Bras. Enum. Pl. 2: 86 (1829);
Valota insularis (L.) Chase, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 19: 188 (1906).
Description:
* Erect caespitose perennial of 0.5-1,5 m tall. Base of stems swollen, hairy, hard, scaly. Leaves 12-40 cm long; 7-15 mm wide, upper surface rough, lower smooth, acuminate; sheath 15 cm long, much longer than the internodes, hairy; ligule an eciliate membrane. 2-4 mm long. Rootstock evident; culms erect, or geniculate ascending, 0.7-1.2 m long, 5-10 mm diam, nodes brown, bearded.
* Inflorescences 25 cm long, gray, somewhat closed, silky, nodding. Inflorescence composed of 20-50 racemes. Racemes borne along a central axis; unilateral, 10-15 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 8-30 cm long. Rhachis wingless, angular. Spikelets in pairs on unequal pedicels.
* Spikelets lanceolate, dorsally compressed, acuminate, 3.5-4 mm long, falling entire. Rhachilla internodes elongated below basal sterile floret. Glumes reaching apex of florets; lower oblong, 0.5-1 mm long, hyaline, truncate; upper glume lanceolate as long as spikelet, membranous, 3 -veined, villous, acute. Basal florets without palea; lemma lanceolate, as long as spikelet, membranous, 7 -veined, villous, acuminate; upper lemma lanceolate, 3-3.5 mm long, cartilaginous, much thinner on margins, dark brown, margins flat, covering most of palea acute; palea cartilaginous.
Distribution West Africa: Introduced in Ghana, no other records from West Africa.
Distribution world-wide: Americas; introduced in Philippines and Pacific islands.