Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1: 269 (1854).- Type: Schimper 1040, Modat, Eritrea (iso- K).
Poa lepida A. Rich., Tent. Fl. Abyss. 2: 424 (1850);
Eragrostis tenella sensu auct., non (Linn.) P. Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult.
Regional litterature: Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 113, fig (1995); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 130 (2015).
Description:
* Slender loosely tufted annual, 15-50 cm high. Culms geniculate, spreading or erect. Leaves flat, 10-40 cm long and 1-2.5 mm wide, finely tapering; ligule a fringe of hairs, sheaths shattered pilose.
* Inflorescence a delicate open lanceolate panicle of 5-15 cm long, the spikelets evenly spaced on the setaceous branchlets and pedicels.
* Spikelets with 4-13 fertile florets, elliptic to oblong, 2-3 mm long; rhachis deciduous. Glumes deciduous, lanceolate, 1-keeled, often mucronate; lower glume 0.6-0.9 mm long, upper glume 0.9-1.1 mm long. Lemmas thinly membranous, oblong, 0.8-1.2 mm long, scaberulous, truncate, mucronate; palea keels pectinate ciliate with tubercle-based hairs of 0.3-0.4 mm long. Anthers 2, 0.1-0.2 mm long. Caryopsis ellipsoid, 0.5 mm long, glossy.
Note: Quite similar to E. amabilis with an obtuse rather than truncate lemma and 3 anthers.
Distribution West Africa: Sudan.
Distribution world-wide: NE Africa, Kenya, Saoudi Arabia.