Ann. Soc. Linn. Lyon, n.s. 76: 164 (1931).- Type: South African seeds.
Andropogon radicans Lehm., Ind. Sem. Hort. Hamb.: 31 (1828);
Amphilophis radicans (Lehm.) Stapf, FTA 9: 173 (1917);
Dichantium radicans (Lehm.) Clayton, Kew Bull. 32: 4 (1977).
Regional litterature: FTEA: 721 (1982); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 306, fig (1995); Fl. Zambesiaca 10,4: 44 (2002); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 120 (2015).
Description: Cushion forming perennial of 25-100 cm high, stoloniferous. Culms copious, often fasciculate, branching from lower nodes, ascending, the nodes pubescent to bearded, the upper ones glabrous. Leaves linear-lanceolate, 6-20 cm. long, 2-6 mm wide, tapering into a long point; ligule an eciliate membrane; sheaths glabrous except near the mouth, the basal ones loose and open, the upper ones clasping the culms.
* Inflorescence subdigitate or with a slender central axis up to 5 cm long, bearing 5-16 sessile or shortly pedunculate racemes; main axis shorter than the racemes. Racemes 3-7 cm long, 10-20-jointed, villous, shortly pedunculate; rhachis fragile, flattened; internodes and pedicels linear, villous.
* Sessile spikelet lanceolate, 2.5-4 mm long; callus obtuse, pilose. Lower glume firmly membranous, pilose below the middle, not glossy, not pitted; upper glume lanceolate, 1-keeled, hispid around the keel. Lower lemma empty, 3 mm long; upper lemma epaleate, linear, hyaline, 1.5 mm long, with a geniculate awn from the entire tip awn 10-25 mm long, glabrous, twisted; anthers 1.5 mm long. Pedicelled spikelet oblong, glabrous, with sparse long white hairs along the lateral keels of the lower glume, 3.5 mm long.
Distribution West Africa: South Sudan.
Distribution world-wide: DRC, Ethiopia and Uganda, NE, E and southern Africa, Arabic peninsula.