Willdenowia 9: 291 (1971).- Type: U Scholz et al 236, Togo, Mango (holo- B).
Regional litterature: Gram. Togo: 197 (1983).
Description:
* Annual in tufts, up to 0.3-0.6 m high; butt sheaths purple. Culms erect, branched; internodes terete, distally glabrous; nodes glabrous. Leaves linear, 3-18 cm long and 2-4.5 mm wide, surface scabrous, margins cartilaginous, attenuate; ligule a ciliate, truncate membrane of 1-2 mm long; sheath longer than adjacent internode, outer margin hairy.
* Inflorescence with 3-6 digitate straight to arcuate racemes. Racemesunilateral, 7-16 cm long; rhachis triquetrous, narrowly winged. Spikelets inserated in groups of 4 (rarely 3), clustered at each node on unequal pedicels of 1-3 mm long
* Spikelets elliptical, 1,9-2.1 mm long and 0.9-1 mm wide.lower glume 0.2 mm long, hyaline; upper glume lanceolate, slightly shorter than spikelet, membranous, 3-veined, hairy between the veins with clavate hairs, acute. Lower lemma without palea, elliptic, as long as spikeletm 5-7-veined with clavate hairs between the veins, acute; upper lemma ovate, as long as spikelet, cartilaginous, light brown, thinner on the margins and covering most of palea, apiculate.
Distribution West Africa and world-wide: Togo.