Fl. Afric. Austr. 3: 392 (1841).- Type: Chapelier s.n., Madagascar (holo- P).
SYNONYMS
Poa chapelieri Kunth, Révis. Gramin. 2: 543 (1832).
Regional litterature: FTEA: 177 (1974); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 116 (1995); Fl Zambesiaca 10,2: 127, fig (1999); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 129 (2015).
Description:
* Tufted perennial of 0.3-1.0 m high. Culms erect, slender-moderately riobust. Leaves often inrolled, pilose, finely pointed; sheaths softly pilose.
* Inflorescence a densely spiciform panicle of 4-22 cm long and 1-3 cm wide, often interrupted below, the spikeletclusters coalescing above.
* Spikelets linear, 15-50-flowered, 6-24 mm long and 2-2.5 mm wide, tinged with pinkish brown, disarticulating from below, the palea persistant on the rough rhachilla. Glumes narrowly lanceolate, 1.5-2.3 mm long. Lemmas ovate, 1.5-2.5 mm long, membranous with obvious nerves; palea keels scaberulous. Anthers 2, 0.5 mm long. Grain 0.6 mm long, light brown.
Distribution West Africa: South Sudan.
Distribution world-wide: Ethiopia, Uganda, DRC and Congo, E and southern Africa.