Ann. Bot. (Oxford) 109: 1327 (2012).- Type: Schimper 1204, Ethiopia (holo- STR, iso- B,P,S).
Leptochloa obtusiflora Hochst., Flora 38: 203 (1855).
Regional litterature: Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 101, fig. (1995).
Description:
* Perennial of 0.4-2.0 m high. Culms slender, 1-5 mm at the base, ascending or straggling from a basal tuft, much branched. Leaves linear, 10-35 cm long and 2.5-12 mm wide, long-attenuate, scabrous; lemma an eciliate membrane of 1.7-2.2 mm long; sheaths glabrous or sparsely ciliate near apex.
* Inflorescence composed of up to 20 ascending branches along an axis of 10-30 cm long, excerted at maturity. Racemes spike-like, straight or arcuate, 5-13 cm long, alternate along the rhachis; rhachis semi terete, spikelets packing broadside, imbricate halfway near the base and tightly towards the tip; pedicels 1.2 mm long.
* Spikelets 6-14-flowered, narrowly oblong, 4-7 mm long, disarticulating under each fertile floret; callus glabrous. Glumes subequal, oblong, shorter than the lemmas, membranous, the lower 1.8-2.3 mm long, the upper 2-2.6 mm long. Lemmas oblong, 2.2-2.5 mm long, membranous, shortly pilose along the nerves and margins with clavate hair-tips, light brown, green or maroon, tip rounded. Anthers 0.7 mm long, yellow. Grain oblong-elliptic, 1.4-1.5 mm long and 0.7-0.8 mm wide, dark brown.
Distribution West Africa: Sudan.
Distribution world-wide: Ethiopia, Uganda, DRC and NE, E and southern Africa.