Plants annuals up to 50 cm tall. Basal sheaths keeled but scarcely flabellate. Rames solitary, occasioinally paired, exserted or partially enclosed in the slightly inflated uppermost sheath, 2.5-7 cm long. Glumes inconspicuous, 3-5.5(-6.5) mm long; lowest lemmas 3.7-5.5 mm long, shortly ciliate on the veins and keels, varying to almost glabrous; awns 4.5-10.5 mm long.
Tetrapogon tennellus grows in open deciduous woodlands on fertile soils and in gardens and abandonned fields at 50-1600 m.It is known from all region recognized in the Flora of Somalia and tropical Africa through Arabia to India.