Result. Sci. Miss. Stefan.-Paoli Somal. Ital. 1: 186 (1916).- Type : Uhlig 882, Tanzania, Pare (syn- B,EA) ; Eichinger 3330, Tanzania (isosyn- EA, K).
Chloris transiens Pilg., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 51: 418 (1914).
Regional litterature: FTEA: 309 (1974); Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 163, fig (1995); Fl. Zambesiaca 10,2: 244, fig (1999); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 145 (2015).
Description:
* Densely tufted perennial of 0.7-1.2 m high. Culms erect or ascending. Leaves up to 35 cm long and 5 mm wide, scaberulous on both sides or smooth below, glabrous or loosely pilose.
* Inflorescence 2-4 digitate spikes. Spikes 10-20 cm long, straight or slightly flexuous, pale, very slender; rhachis 0.5-0.8 mm wide.
Distribution West Africa: South Sudan
Distribution world-wide: Ethiopia, Uganda and Somalia, E and southern Africa.
* Spikelets 3-5 mm long, 2-flopwered. Lower glume 2-3 mm long with an awn of 1-2.5 mm; upper glume 3.5-5 mm long. Lemma 3-4 mm long, with a scaberulous awn 2.5-4 cm long; sterile lemma 0.5-1 mm long with an awn 1-1.6 mm long. Anthers 0.1-0.15 mm long.
Dry grassland on sandy soil, wooded grassland and bushland.