Bull. Inst. Franc. Afr. Noire 22 (1960); Veldkamp, Austrobailaya 5 (1999).- Type: Koenig in Hb. Linn. 78-12, Inde (holo- LINN).
Phalaris zizanoides Linn., Mat. 2 (1771);
Vetiveria zizanoides (Linn.) Nash, Fl. SE US: 67 (1903).
Regional litterature: FTA 9: 157 (1919); FI. Agr. Congo Belge 1: 399 (1929); FI. Gabon 5: 148 (1962); FWTA: 470 (1972); Gram. Togo: 341 (1983); Fl. Zambesiaca 10,4: 35 (2002).
Description:
* Perennial with aromatic roots, up to 2 m high. Culms robust, erect; the nodes concealed within the sheaths. Leaves linear, 0.3-1 m long and 4-10 mm wide, stiff; margin glabrous, spinescent; ligule a fringe of hairs.
* Inflorescence in a contracted panicle of 20-35 cm long and 2.5-6 cm large. Lower branches verticellate with longest branch 5-12 cm long and with up to racemes. Racemes very slender, bearing purplish spikelets in pairs.
* Spikelets linear-lanceolate, 3.5-5 mm long; typically awnless, sometimes with a mucro of up to 1 mm long; callus glabrous, up to 1 mm long, obtuse. Lower glume linear, coriaceous, retorsely spinose on the margins; upper glume spinulose on the keel. Lower lemma acute, retorsely ciliate; upper lemma 3 mm long, narrow, oblong-lanceolate, mucronate; anthers 2-3 mm long. Pedicelled spikelet sparingly aculeolate, male.
Distribution West Africa: Introduced in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Togo, Cameroon.
Distribution world-wide: Asia; introduced in C and southern Africa, and the Americas.