Sp. Pl.: 80 (1753).- Type: Linnaeus, Sweden (holo- LINN).
Regional litterature: Fl. Zambesiaca 10,1: 74, fig (1971); Fl. Sahara: 179 (1977); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 37, fig (1995).
Description:
* Annual of 0.3-1.5 m high; culms simple, erect or geniculately ascending, 3-5 -noded. Leaves cauline, 10-45 cm long and 3-15 mm wide, scaberulous; ligule an eciliate membrane of 4-6 mm long.
* Inflorescence an open pyramidal nodding panicle of 10-40 cm long and 5-20 cm wide, nodding. Branches scaberulous, drooping with pendulous solitary pedicelled spikelets; pedicels filiform.
* Spikelets with 2-3 fertile florets, 18-28 mm long, disarticulating below each floret; callus bearded with hairs of 3-4 mm long. Glumes lanceolate, persistent, membranous, acuminate, similar and as long as spikelet; lower glume lanceolate, 7-11-veined; upper glume lanceolate. Lemma lineair-lanceolate, 14-20 mm long, coriaceous, much thinner above, dark brown, 7-9 -veined, hairy below, tip 2-4 -fid with irregular lobes and a dorsal geniculate awn of 25-40 mm long and with twisted column. Caryopsis 6-8 mm long and hairy all over.
Distribution West Africa: Cape Verde.
Distribution world-wide: Morocco, Algeria, Tunesia, Lybia, Egypt, Ethiopia and Europe, Asia; introduced in southern Africa, Australia, Americas.