Kew Bull. 20:265 (1966).- Type: Coombe 220, Bafut-Ngemba FR, Cameroon (holo- K; iso- P).
Regional litterature: FWTA : 390 (1972); FI. Nigeria: 34 (1970); Gram. Cameroun: 137 (1992).
Description:
* Caespitose perennial of 20-60 cm tall in dense tufts with old remains of old sheaths and culms. Culms ascending, up to 0.5 mm thick. Leaves mainly basal, closely enrolled, ues de 3-15 cm long and 1-2 mm wide, base and sheaths densely hairy with long white hairs; sheaths violette tinged.
* Inflorescence a lineair panicle of to 5-11 cm long, sparcely branched and branches up 3 cm long with closely packed ascending spikelets on short pedicels.
* Epillets elliptical, 5-7 mm long and 1.5-2 mm wide, dark grey. Glumes 1.5-1.7 mm long, scabrid on the keel. Lemmas 1.5-1.8 mm long, obtuse; paleas fall at the same time as the lemmas. Anthères 3. Caryopsis ellipsoid, brown, 0.7-0.8 mm long and 0.3-0.4 mm wide with longitudinal ridges.
Note: There are intermediates between E camerunensis and E. atrovirens such as Cable 3108, Asongany 1326, Ghoque 1087 with glabrous base, 70 cm tall, open inflorescence with branches up to 7 cm long but very dark spikelets.
Distribution West Africa and world-wide: Nigeria, Cameroon.