Kew Bull. 1939: 654 (1940).- Type: Sieber 48, Mauritius (iso- G, MO).
Andropogon aristatus Poir., in Lam., Encycl., Suppl. 1: 585 (1810).
Regional litterature: FTEA: 723 (1982); Poac. Niger : 529, fig. (1999); Fl. Zambesiaca 10,4: 40 (2002); Tropicos.org/name/25514347 (2013).
Description:
* Perennial, caespitose, 0.2-0.9 m, with short stolons. Culms robust and erect, sometimes decumbent with bearded nodes. Leaves linear-lanceolate, 3-30 cm long and 2-7 mm broad, long pilose near the ligule; ligule an eciliate membrane; sheaths glabrous.
* Inflorescence composed of 2-6 digitate or subdigitate racemes, shortly pedunculate. Racemes 3-7 cm long; rhachis fragile, subterete, ciliate on margins; internodes filiform; bases filiform, pubescent. Spikelets in pairs; fertile spikelets sessile, sterile spikelets pedicelled; pedicels filiform, ciliate.
* Spikelets elliptic, or obovate, 2-6 mm long; callus obtuse, pilose. Lower glume cartilaginous, concave, pubescent to villous with tubercle-based hairs; upper glume lanceolate, 1-keeled. Lower lemma hyaline; upper lemma linear, hyaline, entire with a geniculate apical awn of 1-2 cm long overall and a twisted glabrous column. Anthers 3. Pedicelled spikelets well-developed, barren or male, smaller than fertile, muticous.
Distribution West Africa: Introduced in Ghana.
Distribution world-wide: India, China, SE Asia; introduced in Tanzania, southern Africa, Australia and the Americas.