Tent. Fl. Abyss. 2: 474 (1850).- Type: Schimper 795, Ethiopia (iso- LG, K, BR).
Elionurus grisebachi J.A.Schmidt.- Type: Schmidt sn, Cape Verde (syn- S, W).
Regional litterature: FTA 9: 65 (1917); FWTA: 505 (1972); Fl. Sahara: 154 (1977); FTEA: 835 (1982); Fl. Mauritania: 408, fig (1991); Pl. Mauritanie: 311 (1998); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 359, fig (1995); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 128 (2015).
Description:
* Annual up to 35 cm high, fastigiately branching.
* Inflorescence in racemes of 2-6 cm long, embraced below by a reddish spathe, gathered into fascicles; internodes bearded towards the top.
* Sessile spikelet lanceolate; callus obconical, 1 mm long. Lower glume excluding tails 5-6 mm long, glabrous to villous on the back, with tufts of long hair arising from blunt teeth along the margins, divided above into 2 flattened tails of 4-6 mm long. Pedicelled spikelet narrowly lanceolate, 6-10 mm long, caudate-acuminate to a subulate tip.
Distribution West Africa: Cape Verde, Mauritania, Senegal, Sudan.
Distribution world-wide: Morocco, Egypt, Ethiopia, NE and E Africa, W Asia.