Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 74: 14 (1947).- Type: Schimper 1145, Ethiopia, Dschadscha (holo-STR, iso- P,S).
Lepturus minimus Hochst., Flora 38: 333 (1855).
Regional litterature: FTEA : 307, fig. 85 (1974); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 100, fig. (1995); Fl. Chad (2013); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 138 (2015).
Description:
* Small, densely tufted perennial up to 15 cm high. Culms erect. Leaves flat, folded or rolled, 2-5 cm long and up to 1 mm broad; ligule a ciliolate membrane.
* Inflorescence a curved, flexuous or coiled raceme, rare straight, up to 8 cm long and 1 mm wide; rhachis herbaceous, eventually fracturing in 1-2-spicate segments, spikelets in subopposite to adjacent ranks, shallowly embedded.
* Spikelets with one fertile floret, lanceolate, 2.5-4 mm long. Lower glume oblong, 0.5 mm long, truncate; upper glume lanceolate, acuminate and extended into a flexuous awn of 6-20 mm long, (1-)3-nerved. Lemma elliptic oblong, 2-3 mm long, 3-nerved, membranous, mucronate with awn up to 0.5 mm long.
Distribution West Africa: Chad, Sudan.
Distribution world-wide: Ethiopia and Somalia, E Africa, Arabian Peninsular.