Sp. Pl. 4: 941 (1806).- Type: Herzog 1020, Argentina (iso- W).
Regional litterature: FTEA: 838 (1982); Poilecot, Poac. CI: 654, fig. (1985); Fl. Zambesiaca 10,4: 158 (1999).
Description:
* Loosely tufted perennial of 0.6-1.5 m high; culms. Leaves narrow, often involute, 20-30 cm long and 1-3 mm. wide, mainly cauline, filiform to subulate at the tip; ligule a short ciliated membrane; sheaths glabrous.
* Inflorescence in false panicles of solitary racemes, the branched culms bearing 3-20 axillary racemes. Racemes 3-12 cm. long; internodes glabrous to appressed pubescent, rarely with hairs up to 2 mm. long.
* Sessile spikelet lanceolate; callus broadly cuneate, 1-2 mm. long; lower glume 4-6 mm. long, glabrous on the back or almost so with a brown oil streak bordering each keel, entire or bidentate (teeth up to 2 mm.). Pedicelled spikelet lanceolate, 4-5 mm. long, glabrous, acute.
Note: Poilecot gives the record for Ivory Coast (743 IDESSA, J. César, Badikaha) and reports: close to E. platypus with wider (2-5 mm and villous internodes (hairs 2-5 mm) and to E. muticus. FTEA reports E. tripsacoides as barely indistinguishable from E. platypus.
Distribution West Africa: Ivory Coast.
Distribution world-wide: Uganda, Kenya and southern Africa, Americas.