Reliq. Delewr. 255 (1901).- Type: Forsell, Brésil (holo- KR).
Anthephora elegans var. cristata Doell., in Mart., Flor. Bras. 2,2: 314 (1877).
Regional litterature: FI. Gabon 5: 89, fig. 15 (1962); FWTA: 457 (1972); Ghana grasses: 97, fig. 6 (1977); Gram. Togo: 150, fig. (1983); Gram. Cameroun: 349, fig. 73 (1992); Poac. CI: 450, fig. (1995); Fl. Bénin: 182, fig. (2006); Fl. Guinée: 450 (2009).
Description:
* Annual, decumbent branched straggling bunchgrass up to 1 m tall Culms rooting at the lower nodes and 1-1.5 mm broad.. Leaves lineair, 5-13 cm long and 3-8 mm wide with a white midrib, scabrid margins often with widely scattered white hairs towards the base; ligule a thin, pale papery truncate membrane; sheaths keeled, hairy.
* Inflorescence a terminal spiciform panicle. Panicle 2.5-10 cm long with angular scaberulose axis bearing 15-20 closely overlapping involucres of 3.5-6 mm long. Involucre of imperfect sterile spikelets forming a conical disc 3-4 mm across and 3-8 sessile spikelets.
* Fertile spikelets pale green, lanceolate, dorsally compressed, 3-4 mm long. Lower glume absent or obscure; upper glume subulate, ½-¾ as long as spikelet, glabrous
. Lower lemma ovate, as long as spikelet, membranous, acute or acuminate, glabrous; upper lemma lanceolate, 3-4 mm long, cartilaginous, covering most of palea, acute; palea cartilaginous, 1-keeled. Sterile spikelets reduced to single glumes.
Distribution West Africa: Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Cameroon.
Distribution world-wide: DRC, Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and C Africa and Angola.