Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Autum8: 326 (1895).- Type: Hens 319, DRC (syn- P); de Brazza 234, Congo (syn- P).
Pollinia catangensis Chiov., Ann. Bot.(Rome) 13: 35 (1914).
Regional litterature: Stapf, FTA 9: 233 (1919); Fl. Zambeziaca 10,4: 67 (2002); Fl. Chad (2013).
Description:
* Robust caespitose rhizomatous perennial of 1-2 m high. Culms erect, branched, 5-7 mm diameter, glaucous, with stout internodes. Leaves linear, 10-15 cm long and 2-3 mm wide, glabrous, scabrid on the margins, attenuate, often folded; ligule a short ciliolate membrane of 1 mm long; basal sheaths distichous, keeled, glabrous.
* Inflorescence a spathate panicle of 40-60 cm long with 3-15 terminal and axillary racemes supported by spatheoles. Spatheole linear, 3-5 cm long. Racemes 2.5-6 (-12) cm long, slender, flexuous, excerted from the spatheoles; rhachis fragile, glabrous or hairy; internodes filiform, 3-5 mm long; pedicels filiform, 2-3 mm long, glabrous or a few hairs.
* Sessile spikelets lanceolate, acute, 4-6 mm long; callus obtuse, glabrous. Lower glume linear lanceolate, chartaceous, 2-keeled laterally, with a shallow median groove, no intercarinal veins, concave, acuminate; upper glume linear, muticous. Lower lemma oblong, 3 mm long; upper lemma oblong, 2 mm, bifid, hyaline, muticous or with a short geniculate awn of 3.5-9 mm long; palea oblong, 1-1.5 mm long. Anthers 3, 2-3 mm long, straw-coloured. Pedicelled spikelets similar, male, lanceolate, 4-7 mm long, glabrous, muticous to shortly mucronate.
Note: In C Africa also with almost glabrous, often awnless racemes and intergrading with A. tenuiberbis.