N. Amer. Fl. 17: 129 (1912).- Type: Humboldt & Bonpland s.n., Colombie (holo- P).
Andropogon stipoides Kunth, Nov. Gen. Sp. 1: 189 (1816);
Andropogon trichopus Stapf, Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1897: 287 (1897).- Type: Barter 135, Nigeria (holo- K);
Sorghum trichopus (Stapf) Stapf, FTA 9: 141 (1917);
Sorghastrum trichopus Nat. Pflanzenfam. ed. 2, 14e: 142 (1940).
Regional litterature: FI. Nigeria: 107 (1970); FWTA: 468 (1972); FTEA: 732, fig. (1982); Poac. CI: 482, fig. (1995); Pl. Mauritanie: 305 (1998); Poac. Niger: 517, fig. (1999); Fl. Zambesiaca 10,4: 32, fig (2002); Fl. Guinée: 478 (2009); Pl. Burkina Faso: 113 (2012); Fl. Chad (2013).
Description:
* Caespitose perennial of 0.9-2.0 m high. Culms erect, robust and glabrous; nodes with spread hairs. Leaves 15-50 cm long and 3-7 mm wide, stiff; ligule an eciliate membrane; sheaths glabrous.
* Inflorescence an open panicle with verticellate branches ending in racemes. Racemes with 1-4 sessile fertile spikelets and 1-2 pedicels; rhachis fragile; internodes filiforme, ciliate, 5-20 mm long, pedicels filiforme, ciliate, 4 mm long.
* Spikelets lanceolate, 4-6 mm long. Lower glume coriaceous, shiny, dark brown, pubescent or hirsute; upper glume lanceolate, keeled towards the tip. Lower lemma hyaline, bilobed with ciliate margins; upper lemma hyaline with a geniculate awn of 8-13 (-25) mm. Caryopse 2 mm long.
Distribution West Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Cameroon, CAR.
Distribution world-wide: Ethiopia and Uganda, and Burundi, E and southern Africa; introduced in Latin America.