Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1: 371 (1854).- Type: Schimper 88, Ethiopie (holo- P).
Andropogon pratensis Hack., in D C , Monogr. Phan. 6: 463 (1889); Stapf, FTA 9: 219 (1919); Clayton, FWTA 3(2): 485 (1972).- Type: Schimper, Ethiopia (holo B destr.);
Andropogon abyssinicus of FWTA ed. 1,2: 586, not of R. Br. Ex Fresen.
Regional litterature: FTA 9: 216, 219 (1919); FI. Agr. Congo Belge 1: 129 (1929); FWTA: 485 (1972); FTEA : 772 (1982); Gram. Togo: 146 (1983), Gram. Cameroun: 427, (1992); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 323, fig (1995); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 118 (2015)
Description:
* Rhizomatous creeping perennial, 0.1-0.8 m high, sometimes developing dense pelouses through rhizomes; butt sheaths glabrous. Culms erect or decumbent, branched below, reddish. Leaves flat or convolute, often falcate, 1-20 cm long and 1-6 mm wide, midrib evident, auriculate at the base; ligule hyaline, 1.5-3 mm long, glabrous with a few hairs at the margins,
* Inflorescence in terminal pairs of racemes, only excerted from the spatheoles at maturity; peduncles much longer than the racemes. Racemes wooly, 2-8 cm long; rhachis fragile, ciliate to villous with white hairs; internodes and pedicels linear, slightly thickened towards the tip, 2-3 mm long.
* Spikelets sessiles lanceolate and elliptic. 5-8.5 mm long, green violet, glabrous to villous, callus cuneate, 1 mm long, pilose, obtuse. Lower glume chartaceous or coriaceous, keeled laterally with 2-6 intercarinal vein, glabrous or villous, the tip bifid; upper glume convex, with an awn of 2-6 mm long. Lower lemma oblong, hyaline; upper lemma oblong, hyaline, incised to the middle with a geniculate awn of 10-15 mm long from the sinus; column glabrous. Anthers yellow, styles dark purple. Pedicelled spikelets similar to the sessile one, lanceolate to ovate, 5-8 mm long; glabrous, lower glume with a short awn of 2-3 mm and upper glume an awl of 1-1,5 mm long.
Note: A. amethystinus displays a consible variation in size and hairiness of the spikelets.