Bull. Soc. Bot. France 66: 302 (1920).- Type: Schlechter 3595, Wonderboompoort, South Africa (syn- K,LY); & 3900, Crocodyle R, South Africa (syn- K,LY).
Regional litterature: FWTA: 410 (1972); FTEA: 384 (1974); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 156 (1995); Poac. Niger: 301, fig. (1999); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 149 (2015).
Description:
* Densely caespitose perennial of 6-40 cm high; the basal sheaths forming a compacted mass of fibres, these woolly within and eventually forming a compact mass. Culms slender. Leaves convolute, 3-15 cm long; margins tomentose with curly hairs; ligule a short membrane; sheath margins tomentose.
* Inflorescence an ovate panicle of 3-15 cm long, diffuse, rarely linear and condensed. Branches and pedicels capillary and tinged with red.
* Spikelets lanceolate, 1.4-2.1 mm long, greyish green, sometimes dark green. Lower glume narrowly ovate, 0.8-1.1 mm long; upper glume similar, acute, 0.8-1.5 mm long. Lemma, similar, as long as spikelet, acute. Anthers 3, 0.8-1.0 mm long. Caryopsis ovoid, truncate, 0.5-0.7 mm long.
Note: Close to S. festivus but a more delicate inflorescence and wooly fibres at the base; these woolly hairs often not immediately apparent, but must be sought within the fibres.
Distribution West Africa: Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, South Sudan.
Distribution world-wide: Ethiopia, Uganda, DRC and E and southern Africa.