Bot. Jahrb. 34: 107 (1904).- Type: Kersting 541, Togo (holo- B, delet.).
Regional litterature: FWTA: 379 (1972); Ghana grasses: 100 (1977); Gram. Togo: 154 (1983); Gram. Cameroun: 98, fig 21 (1992); Poac. CI: 100, fig. (1995); Poaceae Niger: 161, fig. (1999); Fl. Bénin: 184 (2006); Fl. Guinée: 451 (2009); Pl. Burkina Faso: 71 (2012); Fl. Chad (2013).
Description:
* Erect branched multi-stemmed annual or short-lived perennial 0.3-0.9 m high, gregarious or in small tufts. Leaves scanty, narrowly linear tapering into filiform tip, rarely expanded, glabrous, up to 30 cm long and 1.5 mm wide; ligule a hardly visible fringe of hairs; sheath glabrous.
* Inflorescence a dense drooping golden-green spike-like terminal panicle of 15-25 cm long; primary branches appressed with almost sessile spikelets.
* Spikelets light green, lanceolate, 5-12 mm long; callus barbed, 2-dented, 1 mm long, sometimes bifurcated and sharp. Glumes long-awned, lower glume 2-2.5 cm including the up to 13 mm long awn; upper glume 2.5-3 cm with an awn up to 2 cm. Lemma 6 mm long, smooth at the base, scabrid towards the tip with small spines, articulated at the tip with a long awn; awn with a twisted central column of 2.5-6 cm long, with three subequal branches of 5-9 cm long, the whole separating from the lemma when dry.