Kirkia 3: 134 (1963).- Type: Schimper 165, Arabia (iso- K).
Aristida hirtigluma Trin. & Rupr., Sp. Gram. Stip. 171 (1842).
Regional litterature: FTEA: 140 (1970); FWTA: 376 (1972) ; Fl. Sahara: 169 (1977); Fl. Mauritanie 2: 476, fig (1991); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 86 (1995); Pl. Mauritanie: 277 (1998); Poilecot, Poaceae Niger: 140 , fig (1999); Fl. Chad (2013); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 149 (2015).
Description:
* Short-lived tufted annual or perennial. Culms 30-80 cm long, nodes glabrous. Leaves filiform, convolute, 6-20 cm long, 1 mm wide; surface scabrous, rough on both sides; ligule reduced to a fringe of hairs.
* Inflorescence a narrow panicle of 10-15 cm long and 4 cm wide; axis glabrous; spikelets pedicelled.
* Spikelets lanceolate, subterete, 10-14 mm long, yellow or light green; callus elongated, curved and acute, 0.5-0.75 mm long, bearded and longer hairy in rings above and below. Glumes subequal, membranous, surface pilose, acute, mucronate; lower glume 6-11 mm long; upper glume 10-13 mm long. Lemma oblong, subterete, 3.5-4 mm long, coriaceous, surface tuberculate above, convolute, covering most of palea, acute with an awn 3-branched, limb 35-55 mm long, deciduous, abscissing from top of lemma, plumose; column twisted, 7-13 mm long, plumose in upper part without distinct apical hairs; lateral awns ascending, shorter, 10-25 mm long, glabrous.
Note: S hirtigluma is very variable in the degree of hairiness of its awn.