FTA 9: 332 (1919).- Type: Koenig in Hb. Linn. 1211-6, India (holo- LINN).
Andropogon cymbarius Linné, Mant. Alt. 303 (1771);
Cymbopogon cymbarius (L.) T. Thoms, in Speke, Journ. Disc. Source Nile: 652 (1863).
Regional litterature: FI. Nigeria: 96 (1970); FWTA: 494 (1972); FTEA: 804 (1982); Fl. Rwanda: 289 (1988); Gram. Cameroun: 481, fig. 105 (1992); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 343, fig (1995); Fl. Zambesiaca: 114 (2002); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 132 (2015).
Description:
* Robust caespitose perennial of 1-4 m high. Rhizomes covered by scaly cataphyls. Culms erect, supported by stiltroots, 3-8 mm thick. Leaves rigid, greyish green, 20-45 cm long and 6-25 mm wide, hirsute or glabrous, scabrid on the margins; ligule a hyaline membrane of 1 mm long; sheaths glabrous, sometimes ciliated on the margins.
* Inflorescence a dense spatheolate panicle of 20-60 cm long with paired terminal and axillary racemes; spatheoles ovate 0.8-1.8 mm long, membranous, red, glabrous. Racemes cymbiformous, deflexed, 7-13 mm long with 1-3 fertile spikelets on each and 3-6 awns per raceme-pair; rhachis fragile, white ciliate on the margins; bases flattened, subequal, 0.5-1 mm long, stiffly setose. One pair of homogamous spikelets at the base of the lower raceme, 0 at the upper raceme.
* Sessile spikelets lanceolate, 3.5-4.5 mm long; callus square, 0.2 mm long, pubescent. Lower glume lanceolate, coriaceous, 3.5-4.5 mm long, glabrous to pubescent, without keel. Lower lemma without palea; upper lemma bidentate, awned from the sinus; awn geniculate, 0.5-2 mm long with twisted puberulous column. Anthers 3; stigmas 2. Pedicelled spikelet lanceolate, with empry glumes or male, 4-5 mm long, glabrous or puberulous, lower glume with an awn of 0-5 mm long. Homogamous spikelets lanceolate, 4-6 mm long, muticous.