Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 32: 54 (1902).- Volkens 1278, Tanzania, Kilimanscharo (holo- B, iso- B,W,K).
Regional litterature: FTA 9:481 (1919); FWTA: 448 (1972); FTEA: 659, fig. 142 (1982); Gram. Cameroun: 309, fig. 65 (1992); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 245, fig. (1995); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 117 (2015).
Description:
* Straggling annual 0.3-0.6 m high. Culms solitary, weak, creeping to decumbent at the base and rooting at the lower nodes. Leaves lanceolate, 3-14 cm long and 4-15 mm wide, narrowing towards the base; ligule an eciliate membrane of 1 mm long.
* Inflorescence composed of 2-4 loosely erect, distant racemes on a central axis of 5-15 cm. Racemes unilateral, 3-9 cm long, loose. Spikelets solitary, on pedicels of 2-3 mm long.
* Spikelets lanceolate, 5-6.5 mm. long, green. Lower glume 0.4-1.5 mm. long, obtuse; upper glume and lower lemma scaberulous, bearing a few tubercle-based bristles and each tapering into a thin tangled awn of 10-20 mm. long; upper lemma chartaceous, with an awnlet of 0-2 mm long.
Distribution West Africa: Nigeria, Cameroon, South Sudan.
Distribution world-wide: Ethiopia, Uganda, DRC and E Africa.