Description:

• Annual, tufted or decumbent, sometimes rooting at lower nodes
• Leaf blade linear, expanded or folded; ligule a fringed membrane
• Inflorescence of 3-9 spike-like, one-sided racemes, solitary or paired on a central axis shorter than racemes, digitate to subdigitate; spikelets similar, unequally pedicelled, pedicel linear, saucer-shaped at apex
• Spikelet dorsiventrally compressed; glumes usually unequal, sometimes ± equal, dissimilar, awnless; lower glume as long as to slightly longer than spikelet, lanceolate, somewhat convex dorsally, obtuse, margins inturned, 5-7-nerved, glabrous; upper glume lanceolate, 3-nerved, densely hairy with four rows of long, green or purple hairs between nerves near margins
• Florets 2; lower floret male; lemma elliptic, 3-5-nerved, pilose on margins, a few hairs tubercle-based; palea fully developed, elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, flat dorsally, 2-keeled, margins inturned; upper floret bisexual, lemma much firmer than glumes, hard and glossy except for thin translucent margins, glabrous, ovate-elliptic, shortly subacuminate, convex dorsally, margins flat covering most of palea (Digitaria-type), awnless; palea same as lower floret
• Lodicules 2, cuneate, fleshy to hyaline
• Stamens 3
• Ovary ellipsoid; styles free, plumose

Nomenclature:

• Megaloprotachne C.E.Hubb.
  • Hubbard: 319 (1929)
  • Chippindall: 422 (1955)
  • Clayton & Renvoize: 298 (1986)
  • Clayton: 130 (1989)
  • Gibbs Russell et al.: 207 (1990)
  • Watson & Dallwitz: 583 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa: Species 1: Megaloprotachne albescens C.E.Hubb., Namibia, Botswana and Northern Cape