J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 7: 232 (1864).- Type: Mann 654 & 1475, Fernando Po (syn- K).
Andropogon thomasii C.E. Hubbard, Kew Bull. 4: 372 (1949).- Thomas 1832, Sudan (holo- K).
Regional litterature: FTA 9: 262 (1917); FWTA: 485 (1972); FTEA: 774 (1982); Gram. Cameroun:427, fig. (1992); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 324, fig (1995); Fl. Zambiaca: 66 (2002); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 118 (2015).
Description:
* Densely caespitose perennial of 0.3-0.7 m high, reddish at the base. Culms erect, simple and glabrous. Leaves basal and caulinar, rigid, 2-25 cm long and 2-8 mm wide, glabrous, sometimes long pilose around the ligule; ligule a rounded fringed membrane of 1 mm long; sheaths papery, often compressed and flabellate.
* Inflorescence 3-7 terminal racemes subdigitate or along a central axis of up to 3 cm long and long-excerted from the spatheoles. Racemes 2-7 cm long, purplish, with linear internodes and pedicels of 3-5 mm long, almost glabrous or ciliate on both margins with hairs of 0.5-1 mm long; internodes shorter than sessile spikelets.
* Sessile spikelets 4.5-6 mm long, including the obtuse barbed callus of 0.5 mm long with white hairs. Lower glume cartilaginous, 2-dented, with a broad shallow median groove, often mucronate, keeled towards the tip; upper glume boat-shaped with an awn of 3-5 mm long. Lower lemma hyaline with ciliate margins; upper lemma bifid for 1/3-1/2 of it length with a geniculate awn of 5-16 mm from the sinus. Anthers 2.5-3 mm long. Pedicelled spikelets similar, male, 5-8 mm long.