Nuov. Giorn. Bot. Ital. Ser. 2, 26: 74 (1919).- Type: Abruzzi s.n., Uganda (holo- TO).
Andropogon mobukensis Chiov. Ann. Bot. Roma 6: 147 (1907);
Andropogon scaettae Robyns, Bull. Jard. Bot. Brux. 8: 223 (1930);
Hyparrhenia absimilis Pilger, Not. Bot. Gart. Berlin 14: 102 (1938);
Hypogynium absimile (Pilg.) Roberty, Boissiera 9: 189 (1960).
Regional litterature: FTA 9: 380 (1919); FTEA: 793 (1982); Fl. Rwanda: 292 (1988); Fl. Zambesiaca: 98 (2002).
Decription:
* Trailing perennial of up to 1.6 m long. Culms wiry, very slender, often creeping, rarely erect. Leaves linear lanceolate, 4-8 cm long and 2-5 mm broad, finely acuminate at the tip, rather abruptly narrowed at the base, light green, flaccid; ligule 1 mm long; sheaths glabrous.
* Inflorescence a spathate panicle with up to 5 distant tiers, each with a single simple ray. Spatheoles linear/lanceolate, 4-5 cm long, light green, tinged with purple; peuncles a little longer than the spatheole, sometimes up to 2x as long, flexuous, scaberulous or pilose above. Racemes paired, rarely solitary, not deflexed, 1.5-3 cm long, 7-15 awned per pair, terminally excerted; bases unequal, upper 1.5-3 mm long, terete orsomewhat flattened, softly pilose or sometimes stiff bristles. One pair of homogamous spikelets at the base of the lower raceme only.
* Sessile spikelets lanceolate, 4-5 mm long, callus square or semicircular, 0.5 mm long, very obtuse. Lower glume distinctly 9-nerved, glabrous or scaberulous, laterally keeled in the upper third, broadly rounded below. Awn 7-8 mm long, the column glabrous. Pedicelled and homogamous spikelets lanceolate, 6 mm long, glabrous, acuminate; pedicel tooth none.
Note: Raceme base rather variable.
Distribution West Africa: Sudan.
Distribution world-wide: DRC, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, E and southern Africa.