Fl. Afr. Austral. III: 158 (1841).- Type: Drège s.n., Cape, South Africa (lecto- W, isolecto- S).
Vilfa centrifuga Trin., Mém. Acad Imp. Sci. Saint Pétersbourg, sér. 6, Sci-Math, 2nd pte Sci. Nat. 5: 57 (1840).
Regional litterature: FTEA: 365 (1982); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 148, fig (1995); Fl. Zambesiaca 10,2: 178 (1999); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 147 (2015).
Description:
* Tufted perennial of 0.2-0.8 m high with indurated glossy yellow butt sheaths. Culms erect. Leaves filiform, involute, 6-30 cm long and 1-1.5 mm wide; ligule a fringe of hairs.
* Inflorescence an open or contracted pyramidal or ovate panicle of 8-18 cm long; branches in 4-8 whorls at most nodes, glabrous in the axils. Spikelets solitary, pedicelled, clustered towards the branch tips.
* Spikelets lanceolate, 2.5-4.2 mm long, 1-veined, dark green. Glumes oblong, deciduous; lower glume 2.2-3.5 mm long, membranous, acuminate; upper glume as long as spikelet, acute. Lemma lanceolate, 2-4 mm long, membranous, dark green, acuminate; palea 2-veined. Anthers 3, 1.7-2 mm long. Caryopsis ellipsoid, 1.7-2 mm long.
Distribution West Africa: Sudan, one record.
Distribution world-wide: C, E and southern Africa.