FTA 9: 353 (1918).- Type: Schimper 1456, Ethiopia (iso- K, P).
Andropogon confinis Hochst. ex A. Rich., Tent. Fl. Abyss. 2: 461 (1850).
Regional litterature: Fl. Chad (2013).
var. confinis
Description: Annual of 1-2.5 m high. Culms glabrous, supported by stilt roots. Leaves linear, 25-50 cm long and 10-15 mm wirde, greenish to glaucous, narrowed at the base but not usually petiolate, scabrid at the margins; ligule ovate, obtuse, 5-10 mm long; sheaths glabrous, sometimes produced at the mouth into short triangular auricles, adnate to the lower part of the ligule.
* Inflorescence a narrow loose, coarse spathate panicle of 30-60 cm long. Spatheoles 3-4.5 cm long, glabrous, reddish or greenish, enrolled at maturity; peduncles ½ to nearly as long as spatheoles, white bearded above. Racemes 2 cm long, 2-awned per pair, laterally excerted; raceme-bases bearing white bristles; appendage oblong, denticulate, 1-2 mm long; one pair oh homogamous spikelts at the base of the lower raceme, 0 at the upper raceme.
* Sessile spikelets narrowly oblong, 7-10 mm long, callus 1.5-3 mm long. Lower glume chartaceous, 7-10 mm long, flat or slightly depressed, glabrous or with a few short sparse hairs; callus acute, densely ciliated. Upper lemma linear, bidented with a geniculate awn from the sinus; awn 4-9 cm long, yellow, column shortly hirsute. Caryopse 3-4 mm long. Pedicelled spikelets 11-14 mm long, glabrous, with a terminal bristle of 5-17 mm long. Homogamous spikelets 9-13 mm long, glabrous or hispidulous, the margins ciliolate.
Note: Terminal bristle of pedicelled spikelet of H. confinis and the ecology of growing on black clays distinguishes H. confinis from H. niariensis (note: H. welwitschii with 3 awns). Key to the varieties:
1 .Lower glume of sessile spikelet glabrous or pubescent 2
1'.Lower glume of sessile spikelet and pedicels densely silky villous with white hairs. var. pellita
2. Middle culm leaves with a false petiole; peduncles about 1 cm longer than spatheoles; raceme base linear-oblong, 3-4 mm long; homogamous spikelets 7-8.5 mm long; pedicelled spikelets 6-10 mm long. var. nudiglumis
2'.Middle culms leaves narrowed but not usually petiolate; peducles ½ to nearly as long as spatheole; raceme-base oblong, 1-2 mm long; homogamous spikelets 9-13 mm long; pedicelled spikelets 11-14 mm long var. confinis
Distribution West Africa: CAR, Chad, Sudan, South Sudan.
Distribution world-wide: Congo, DRC, Ethiopia, Burundi.