Kew Bull. 20: 283 (1966).- Typr: Adames 390, Guinea (holo- K).
Regional litterature: FWTA: 502 (1972); Poac. CI: 632, fig. (1985); Fl. Guinée: 447 (2009).
Description:
* Annual of 0.3-0.6 m high. Culms erect, glabrous, slightly compressed. Leaves linear, 8-30 cm long and 1-2 mm wide, scaberulous; ligule a short truncate ciliolate membrane; sheaths glabrous or with a few long tubercle-based hairs, keeled.
* Inflorescence a compound panicule of 15-25 cm long, lax, composed of terminal and axillary racemes excerted from the spatheole. Spatheole linear, acuminate, 1.5-2.5 cm long. Racemes single, 1 cm long with 2(-4) fertile spikelets; internodes and pedicels linear, ciliate on the margins.
* Sessile spikelets linear-lanceolate, 4-6 mm long; callus obtus with dark brown hairs. Lower glume coriaceous, dark brown, 2-keeled and 2-toothed at the tip, margins scabrous; surface asperulous; upper glume with a apical awn of 3.5-6 mm long. Upper lemma bi-fid with ciliate lobes and a bigeniculate awn of 14-22 mm long from the sinus. Sterile spikelets represented by a pedicel only or a well-developed male.