Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1: 301 (1854).- Type: Schimper 1652, Ethiopia, Djeladjeranne (syn- P, iso- BRBM, FT, K,L); Quartin Dillon s.n., Ethiopia,Shire (syn- P).
Festuca minima A. Rich., Tent Fl Abyss. 2: 436 (1851).
Regional litterature: FWTA: 393 (1972); FTEA: 289 (1974); Ghana grasses: 251, fig: 95 (1977); Gram. Togo: 333, fig. (1983); Fl. Mauritania: 411 (1991); Gram. Cameroun: 138, fig. 29 (1992); Poac. CI: 144, fig. (1995); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 97 (1995); Pl. Mauritanie: 285 (1998); Poac. Niger: 215 , fig. (1999); Fl. Zambesiaca 10,2: 29, fig (1999); Fl. Bénin: 248 (2006); Pl. Burkina Faso: 117 (2012); Fl. Chad (2013); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 150 (2015).
Description:
* Tiny, densely tufted erect annual or perennial, 10-25 cm high. Culms simple and very slender. Fine convolute leaves 2.5-7 cm long, short narrowly linear, usually tightly rolled inward from the smooth margins; the base passing directly into the sheath; ligule a barely visible ciliated fringe; sheath glabrous often purple tinged. Basal sheaths persistent, becoming fibrous.
* Inflorescence a slender terminal solitary spike-like raceme 2-9 cm long, bearing two rows of spikelets closely appressed to the central axis.
* Spikelets oblong elliptic and flattened, glabrous, 3-10 florets, 2-5 mm long, green, awnless. Glumes with hyaline margins, 1-nerve; lower glume 1-2 mm long, acute; the upper 1-2 mm long. Lemma bi-dented, 0.8-2.5 mm long, with a villous callus. Anthers 2, 1-1.5 mm long.
Distribution West Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Sudan.
Distribution world-wide: Kenya, Tanzania, southern Africa.