Fl. Trop. Afr. 9: 299 (1918).- Type: Schimper 1797, Ethiopia (iso K, L, P, W).
Andropogon finitimus Hochst., Exsicc. (Pl. Schimp.) 2: 1797 (1844);
Cymbopogon finitimus (Hochst.) Thomson in J.H.Speke, J. Discov. Source Nile: 652 (1863);
Sorghum finitimum (Hochst.) Kuntze, Revis. Gen. Pl. 2: 791 (1891).
Regional litterature: FWTA: 492 (1972); FTEA: 798 (1982); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 340, fig (1995); Fl. Zambesiaca: 107 (2002); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 133 (2015).
Description:
* Tufted perennial of 1-2 m high. Culms erect or ascending. Leaves up to 60 cm long and 8 mm wide; ligule up to 2 mm long; basal sheaths pubescent or hirsute along the margins and sometimes on the back.
* Inflorescence in a copiously branched and rather dense false panicle, 20-60 cm long. Spatheoles narrowly lanceolate, 2-3.5 cm. long, at length reddish, the peduncles mostly 1-2.5 cm long and half to almost as long as the spatheole. Racemes paired, 1-1.5(-2) cm long, 6-9-awned per pair, glabrescent to fulvous, not deflexed (or very rarely so); raceme-bases unequal, the upper 1.5-2.5 mm long, usually softly hirtellous. One homogamous pairs at the base of the lower or of both racemes.
* Sessile spikelet narrowly lanceolate, 4-5.5 mm long, usually glossy, the hairs fulvous but often pallid and scanty; callus linear, 0.4-0.8 mm long, truncate to cuneate, obtuse, pubescent. Lower glume yellowish, lanceolate, as long as spikelet, glabrous to hispidulous with white hairs, keel-less, apex dentate; upper glume linear. Lower lemma lanceolate, hyaline; upper lemma linear, membranous, bifide with a geniculate awn of (1-)2-4 cm long from the sinus; column twisted, rufously pubescent. Pedicelled spikelet lanceolate, 5-6 mm long, glume acute or mucronate, glabrous to rarely hispidulous, terminating in an awn of 2-5 mm long. Pedicels linear, flattened, ciliate, its tooth triangular to subulate, up to 0.3 mmlong.Homogamous spikelets 7-8 mm long, chartaceous.
Distribution West Africa: Sierra Leone, ?Sudan.
Distribution world-wide: Gabon, Congo, DRC, Ethiopia, Uganda, and C, E and southern Africa.