Annuario Reale Ist. Bot. Roma 8: 367 (1908).- Type: Pappi 7146, Eritrea, Caracai (holo- FT, iso P).
Regional litterature: FWTA: 393 (1972) ; Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 118, fig (1995); Poac. Niger: 199 , fig. (1999); Pl. Burkina Faso: 80 (2012); Fl. Chad (2013); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 129 (2015).
Description:
* Slender, caespitose annual of 20-30 cm high. Culms geniculately ascending,. Leaves involute, 2-8 cm long and 1-1.5 mm wide, silky-pilose on the upper surface and near the margins of the sheaths; ligule a fringe of hairs.
* Inflorescence an open or contracted panicle, linear or ovate, 4-15 cm long; branches rather stiff, inserted singly and well spaced along the axis. Spikelets solitary on filiform pedicels.
* Spikelets comprising 14-50 fertile florets, linear or oblong. 8-25 mm long and 1.2-2 mm wide, breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent, retaining paleas; internodes eventually visible between lemmas. Glumes deciduous; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 1.2-2 mm long, 1 -veined. acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 1.2-2 mm long, 1 -veined, acute. Florets divergent; ovate; 1.5-2 mm long; membranous; keeled;. lateral veins distinct obtuse. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical florets underdeveloped. Anthers 2; 0.1-0.3 mm long. Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; 0.5 mm long.
Note: Close to E. tremula but more delicate with narrower glumes.
Distribution West Africa: Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Sudan.
Distribution world-wide: Eritrea and Ethiopia.