Kew Bull. 23:293 (1969).- Type: Bogdan 5390, Kenya, Mt Elgon (holo- K; iso- EA); Maitland 1336, Cameroon, Ukele (para- LE).
Festuca sp. near gigantea (Linné) Vill. sensu R.K.G.: 15 (1958);
Festuca gigantea de FWTA, ed 1: 508; Jacques-Félix, Gram. Afr. Trop. 1: fig. 98 (1962).
Regional litterature: FTEA: 58 (1970); FWTA: 369 (1972); Gram. Cameroun: 60, fig: 12 (1992); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 27, fig (1995).
Description:
* Caespitose perennial with slender rhizomes of 1-2 m high. Culms stout, the nodes purple. Leaves flat, 25-40 cm long and 7-15 mm wide ; ligule an eciliate mebrane of 3-5 mm long ; sheaths with falcate auricles, smooth and glabrous.
* Inflorescence an ovate open panicle of 20-30 cm long with spikelets clustered towards the tips of the widely spreading, flexuous branches.
* Spikelets with 3-6 fertile florets and smaller sterile florets towards the tip, oblong, 10-12 mm long, purplish. Lower glume lanceolate, 4-5.5 mm long ; upper glume lanceolate, 5-7 mm long, chartaceous, acute. Lemmas elliptic, 6-8 mm long, chartaceous but upper half thinner, with a subapical awn of 9-15 mm long. Anthers 3, 2-4 mm long.
Distribution West Africa: Cameroon.
Distribution world-wide: Bioko, Ethiopia, Kenya.