Beitr. Fl. Aeth. : 310 (1867).- Type: Quartin Dillon & Petit, Ethiopia (holo- P; isosyn- K); Schimper 1551, Ethiopia (isosyn- K).
Andropogon purpureo-sericeus Hochst. ex A. Rich., Tent. Fl. Abyss. 2: 469 (1850);
Sorghum dimidiatum Stapf, FTA 9: 140 (1917).- Type: Broun, Sudan (holo- K).
Regional litterature: FTA 9: 139 (1917); FWTA: 467 (1972); FTEA: 730 (1982); Gram. Cameroun: 401, fig (1992); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 301, fig (1995); Pl. Burkina Faso: 114 (2012); Fl. Chad (2013); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 147 (2015).
Description:
* Annuals of 1.5-2.5 m hifg; culms erect, solitary or tufted, bearded at the nodes with a conspicuous ciclet of spreading hairs. Leaves linear, 10-50 cm long and 2-10 mm wide, pilose on the lower side; ligule a ciliate hyaline membrane, narrow, 1 mm long.
* Inflorescence an oblong panicle of 5-35 cm long; branches whorled at most nodes, flexuous, 5-7 cm long terminating in fragile racemes. Racemes with 3-5 pairs of spikelets; rhachis fragile, ciliate on the margins; internodes and pedicels filiform, 5 mm long.
* Sessile pikelets lanceolate, 7.5-10 mm long; callus bearded with white or red hairs. Lower glume ovate, as long as spikelet, coriaceous, dark brown to black, keeled near the tip, glabrous; upper glume ovate, coriaceous, glabrous. Lower lemma barren, elliptic, hyaline, ciliolate on the margins; upper lemma oblong, 3-6 mm long, hyaline, bifid with a geniculate awn of 2-4 cm long from the sinus, column twisted, pubescent.
Distribution West Africa: Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Sudan, South Sudan.
Distribution world-wide: NE and E Africa, Oman, Yemen, India.