FTA 9: 478 (1919).- Type: Schimper 996, Ethiopia, Hamedo (syn- B,K,PRE,W); Schweinfurth 1156, Eritrea (syn- US).
Regional litterature: Fl. Ethiopia & Eritrea 7: 247, fig (1995); Pl. Sudan & S Sudan: 126 (2015).
Description:
* Annual of 15-80 cm high. Culms erect. Leaves linear, 6-25 cm long and 2-4 mm wide, glabrous, acuminate; ligule an eciliate membrane.
* Inflorescence 6-20 racemes erect or ascending along an central axis of 2-10 cm long. Racemes unilateral, 4-15 cm long; rhachis angular. Spikelets in pairs or with 3-4 clustered at each node, pedicels setose at the tip.
* Spikelets elliptic, 1.2-1.3 mm long. Glumes both absent or obscure. Lower lemma without palea, orbicular, 1/6-1/3 as long as spikelet, hyaline, without lateral veins, glabrous and obtuse; upper lemma elliptic, as long as spikelet, cartilaginous, dark brown, thinner on the margins and covering most of the palea, acute.
Distribution West Africa: Sudan.
Distribution world-wide: Eritra, Ethiopia, Uganda, Zambia.