Tufted annual with a shallow root system and 5–30 cm long stems. Leaves 5–15 cm long and 2–5 mm wide, flat, scabrid on margin and midrib; leaf-sheaths grey to reddish brown. Inflorescence of a few crowded spikes or with 1–few sessile spikes and 1–8 stalked spikes on 0.5–10 cm long peduncles; involucral bracts 3–6, leafy, erect or spreading, the largest 6–25 cm long and 1.5–6 mm wide, flat. Spikes 6–22 mm long and 6–16 mm wide, with (3–)5–10(–25) spreading spikelets. Spikelets 3–8 x 1.5–3.5 mm, ovate-lanceolate, appearing spiny with the spreading tips of the glumes. Glumes 2–3 mm long, golden or greyish with a green midrib excurrent in a recurved mucro and with 2–4 very prominent lateral nerves on each side of the midrib. Style with 2 branches. Nutlet 1.3–1.5 x 1–1.2 mm, flattened, somewhat cordate, brown to dark grey, minutely papillose.
Range
S2 scattered in eastern Africa, Madagascar, tropical Asia and Australia.
