Fedde, Rep. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. 17: 297 (1921).- Type: Stolz 1212, 1241, Kimbala, Malawi (syn- L,S).
Sporobolus granularis Mez, F.R. 17: 297 (1921).- Type: Chevalier 2223, Koulikoro, Mali (holo- B).
Regional litterature: FWTA: 407 (1972); FTEA: 358 (1974); Pl. Mauritanie: 292 (1998); Fl. Mauritanie 2: 468 (1991); Poac. Niger: 293, fig. (1999); Fl Zambesiaca 10,2: 169 (1999); Fl. Guinée: 479 (2009); Pl. Burkina Faso: 116 (2012); Fl. Chad (2013).
Description:
* Loosely tufted annual 0.1-0.6 m high. Culms erect, often branched below. Leaves narrowly lanceolate, 1-6 cm long and 2-6 mm wide, conspicuously pectinate-ciliate on the margins; ligule a very short line of hairs; sheaths chartaceous, glabrous on the back, ciliate on the margins.
* Inflorescence a narrowly elliptic panicle of 5-14 cm long and 2-3 cm wide, reddish. Primary branches whorled, filiforme, the lower ones 10-15 mm long, smooth, bearing 6-30 spikelets evenly distributed at the end of the branches. Branches with elongated viscid glandular patches.
* Spikelets reddish brown, 0.9-1.6 mm long, glabrous or hispidulous. Glumes inequal, membranous; lower glume lanceolate, 0.4-0.6 mm long; upper glume 0.9-1.6 mm long, smooth or spinulose. Lemma ovate, little shorter than spikelet, membranous, 1-nerved. Caryopsis orbicular, 0.3-0.6 mm in diameter.
Distribution West Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, CAR, Chad.
Distribution world-wide: Uganda, DRC and C, E and southern Africa.
Note: S. stolzii is related to S capillaris, a more robust species with broader leaves and larger panicles with scabrid branches. It also ressembles S. subglobosus, but the spikelets and grains are distinctly smaller in size and S. welwitschii.