Bot. Jahrb. 77: 283 (1957).- Type: Hepburn s.n., Nigeria (holo- K).
Loudetia trigemina CE. Hubbard, Kew Bull. 1934: 432 (1934)).
Regional litterature: FTA 10: 47 (1937); Fl. Nig.:26 (1970); FWTA: 415 (1972); Gram. Cameroun: 383, fig. 85 (1992).
Description:
* Caespitose perennial of 50-90 cm high; basal sheaths villous. Culms geniculately ascending. Leaves linear, 15-30 cm long and 2-3 mm broad, hirsute with scabrous margins; ligule a fringe of straight white hairs; sheath pubescent with whire hairs.
* Inflorescence an open panicle of 5-10 (-15) cm long, glabrous; branches scabrid. Spikelets in triads, glabrous or hirsure, on unequal pedicels of 1-1.5 mm long.
* Spikelets lanceolate, 6-7 mm long, callus bearded, truncate, 0.5 mm long. Lower glume shorter than spikelet, 5.5-6.5 mm long, chartaceous, dark brown, glabrous or setaceous on the veins, hairs white, tubercle-based; upper glume similar, as long as spikelet. Lower lemma with palea, lanceolate, 5 mm long; upper lemma lanceolate, 3.5 mm long, coriaceous, pubescent with lanceolate lobes and a geniculate awn of 15-18 mm long from the sinus.
Distribution West Africa and world-wide: Nigeria, Cameroon.