Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 43:95 (1909).- Type : Volkens 713, Tanzania (holo- ?B, iso- K).
Regional litterature: FWTA: 389 (1972); FTEA: 222, ƒ& 61/7 (1974); Gram. Cameroun: 133 (1992) ); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 126 (1995).
Description:
* Slender small-tufted perennial of 0.3-0.8 m high with stolons of up to 20 cm long. Culms straight or ascending, with leaves cauline. Leaves spreading or reflexed, 4-8 cm long and 1-5 mm wide, flat or inrolled; ligule a fringe of hairs.
* Inflorescence an ovate panicle of 5-11 cm long and 1.5-3 cm wide. Primary branches stiff, scarce, spreading, up to 1.5 cm long; spikelets on short wiry pedicels of 1-3 mm long.
* Spikelets ovate, dark olive green, shiny, slightly inflated, longs de 2-6 mm long et larges de 1.5-4 mm wide, breaking up from the base; rhachilla internodes eventually visible. Glumes broadly ovate, subequal, coriace, 1-1.2 mm long. Lemmas orbiculaires, coriace, 1.5-2 mm long; paleas with winged scabrid keels, falling at the same time as the lemmas. Anthers 3, 1 mm long. Caryopsis elliptic, 1 mm long.
Distribution West Africa: Nigeria, Cameroon.
Distribution world-wide: Uganda, DRC and Burundi, NE, E and southern Africa.