Neue Ent. 2: 61 (1821).- Type: Sieber s.n., Israel (holo- LE, iso- K).
Aristida longiflora Schumach., Beskr. Guin. Pl.. 68 (1827).- Type: Ghana, Thonning (C, holo);
Aristida pallida Steudel, Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1: 143 (1854).
Regional litterature: FTEA: 155 (170); FWTA: 381 (1972); Ghana grasses: 101 (1977); Fl. Sahara: 166 (1977); Gram. Togo: 155 (1983); Gram. Cameroun: 100, fig. 22 (1992); Poac. CI: 102, fig. (1995); Pl. Mauritanie: 280 (1998); Poac. Niger: 163, fig. (1999); Fl. Bénin: 184 (2006); Fl. Guinea Bissau: 133 (2008); Fl. Guinée: 451 (2009); Pl. Burkina Faso: 71 (2012); Fl. Chad (2013); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 119 (2015).
Description:
* Loosely tufted, branched, erect perennial bunchgrass of 0.3-1.2 m tall. Culms terete glabrous, up to 4 mm diameter at the base. Leaves glaucous, narrowly linear, usually tightly rolled, glabrous, 5-30 cm long and 2-4 mm broad; ligule fringe of short white hairs.
* Inflorescence in dense and spike-like panicles on nodding culms, 8-25 cm long with pedicelled spikelets.
* Spikelets yellow to purplish; callus elongated, curved and pungent, 2 mm long. Glumes glabrous or a few long hairs; lower glume lanceolate, 8-15 mm long with an awn; upper glume linear, 15-20 mm long with an awn of 3-9 mm. Lemma convolute, 8-10 mm long, articulated at the tip with a 3 branched awn; awn with a twisted column of 1-3 cm long, surmounted by three sub-equal branches of 5-10 cm long, the whole breaking away from the lemma.