Fl. Somala 2: 452 (1932).- Type: Senni 276, Somalia, Kolbio (holo- FT).
Regional litterature: FTEA : 380 (1974); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 151, fig (1995); Fl. Zambesiaca 10,2: 189 (1999); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 148 (2015).
Description:
* Robust tufted perennial arising from a short oblique rhizome of 1-2 m high. Culms erect, hard and cane-like, 3-6 mm diameter, erect, unbranched. Leaves mainly cauline, narrowly linear, glaucous, up to 45 cm long and 4-7 mm wide with a broad white midrib on the upper surface, the margins scabrous, tip filiform; ligule a fringe of hairs.
* Inflorescence a much branched panicle of 35-75 cm long, linear to narrowly ovate. Primary branches filiform, bare at the base, and glabrous in the axils. Spikelets secondly arranged along the branchlets on short pedicels, mostly less than 0.5 mm long.
* Spikelets ovate, 1.6-2.4 mm long, dark green. Lower glume lanceolate, 1-1.2 mm long, acuminate; upper glume ovate, 1.5-2 mm long, acute. Lemma ovate, membranous, dark green, equaling the spikelet in length. Anthers 3, 1-1.4 mm long. Caryopsis ellipsoid, quadrangular, 0.6-0.7 mm long.
Distribution West Africa: South Sudan (Luwan, near Gamo Gofa border).
Distribution world-wide: Uganda and Somalia, E and southern Africa.