J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 7: 230 (1864).- Type: Mann 2098, Cameroon (holo- K, iso- GOET,M).
Tripogon jaegerianus A.Camus, Journ. Agric. Trop & Bot. Applic. 1: 212, t. 12 (1954).- Type: Jaeger 549, Sierra Leone (holo- P)
Tripogon major ssp. jaegeranus Gledhill, Bol. Soc. Brot., sér. 2,41: 166 (1967).- Type: Morton SL 2649, Sierra Leone (holo- SL, iso- K)
Regional litterature: FWTA: 393 (1972); FTEA: 291 (1974); Gram. Cameroun: 139 (1992); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 97 (1995); Fl. Zambesiaca 10,2: 31 (1999); Fl. Chad (2013); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 150 (2015)
Description:
* Densely caespitose perennial of 0.3-0.6 m high, the base thickened and covered by non fibrous old leaf-remains; culms erect. Leaves basal, 6-25 cm long, and 1-2 mm wide, convolute, stiff, pilose, acuminate; ligule densely pilose, rounded, 2.5 mm long.
* Inflorescence a stiff erect solitary terminal raceme of 8-18 cm long. Rhachis angular. Spikelets 12-18, 2-rowed and in zigzag.
* Spikelets with 6-16 florets, with smaller florets at the tip, elliptic, 13-25 mm long, desarticulating below each floret, dark grey-green; internodes glabrous ; callus bearded with hairs of 1-2 mm long. Lower glume linear lanceolate, 3-8 mm long, 1-keeled ; upper glume 5-11 mm long, membranous. Lemma elliptic, 4-8.5 mm long, membranous, dark green to grey, awned from the sinus; palea keels narrowly winged, ciliolate. Anthers 2, 1.5-2 mm long.
Note: Variable grasses of scattered mountain localities; on Mt Loma spikelets generally smaller than in West Cameroon.
Distribution West Africa: Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad, South Sudan.
Distribution world-wide: Ethiopia, E Africa, Malawi.