Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 34: 125 (1904).- Type: Pogge sn, 471, DRC (syn- B).
Rhytachne gigantea Stapf, Mém. Soc. Bot. Fr. 8: 99 (1908).- Chevalier 5410, CAR (holo- K);
Urelytrum thyrsoides Stapf, FTA 9: 47 (1917).
Regional litterature: FTA 9: 46 (1917); Fl. Agr. Congo Belge 1: 52 (1929); Fl. Nigeria: 109 (1970); FWTA: 502 (1972); FTEA: 833 (1982); Gram. Cameroun: 514 (1992; Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 151 (2015).
Description:
* Tufted perennial. Culms very stout, up to nearly 6 mm thick. Leaves linear, tapering almost from the base, up to 50 cm and 10 mm wide at the base, firm, more or less rough above, very scabrid along the edges;; ligules membranous truncate, over 1 lin. long, glabrous; sheaths tight, slightly rough, finely striate, glabrous.
* Inflorescence about 10 racemes on a common axis, which is about 7 cm. long; lowest raceme solitary, the following verticillate or opposite; peduncles 4-5 cm long and with a few hairs at the base. Racemes stiff, erect, over 40 cm long, glabrous, dull purplish; internodes pedicels linear, slightly thickened above, semiterete.
* Sessile spikelet with a short obovate minutely bearded callus, 6-7 mm long, linear-oblong. Glumes subequal, coriaceous, minutely truncate, with keels spinulously ciliate above the middle; upper glume chartaceous, almost as long as the lower, narrowly boat-shaped, acute, 3-nerved, keel rigidly ciliolate above, lateral nerves submarginal, margin hyaline and ciliate. Lower lemma lanceolate, almost 3 lin. long, hyaline, ciliolate; upper lemma firmer below, more or less boat-shaped. Anthers up to 3 mm long. Pedicelled spikelets similar to the sessile, but both florets usually ♂, the lower glume produced into a squarrose scabrid awn of 2 cm long.
Distribution West Africa: Nigeria, Cameroon, CAR, South Sudan.
Distribution world-wide: Congo, DRC, Uganda.