Tufted wiry perennial upto 70 cm high. Leaf-blades involute, rarely flat and then up to 4 mm wide, 4-18 cm long. Inflorescence a contracted or spike-like panicle up to 10 cm long. Spikelets 3 (4)-flowered; glumes sparsely hairy, the lower 4-5.5 mm long, 7-9-nerved, the upper 5-8.5 mm long, 5-7-nerved; fertile lemma, including awn, 5.5-9.4 mm long; uppermost floret 4-7 mm long, anthers 0.5-1.3 mm long.

Type: Ethiopia, Schimper 323 (K, B).

Distribution: Pakistan (Sind, Punjab & N.WFP.); Egypt southwards to Tanzania and eastwards through Arabia to India and Burma.

This species seems to merge in with Enneapogon cenchroides in many respects but can be separated by the size of the uppermost floret. Moreover, Enneapogon schimperanus is a perennial with wiry stems and leaf-blades set at a wide angle with the stem, and the plants are never very high. Enneapogon cenchroides is more robust with taller sterns, and the leaf-blades are longer, wider and less rigid, forming a narrow angle with the stem.

Enneapogon schimperanus is found on sandy, often stony desert places and on calcareous soils. Cattle are said to be fond of it.