Coarse loosely tufted annual; culms 35–90 cm. high, erect.. Leaf-blades linear, 4–15 cm. long, 2–6 mm. wide, pectinate-ciliate on the margins (not in E. African specimens).. Panicle lanceolate, 6–40 cm. long; primary branches in whorls, each usually bearing 5–12 spikelets.. Spikelets 1.5–2(–2.2 in E. Africa) mm. long, glabrous or scaberulous, reddish; lower glume lanceolate, 0.7–1.3 mm. long; upper glume oblong-elliptic, as long as the spikelet; lemma similar to the upper glume but a little shorter; anthers 3, 0.5–0.7 mm. long.. Grain spherical, rarely tetragonal, 0.8–1 mm. in diameter.
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