Cope, T.A. Poaceae (1995) Flora of Somalia 4: 149-270
Plants to 90 cm tall, shortly rhizomatous perennials, often also with long stolons. Culms to 90 cm tall, swollen at the base and often suffrutescent. Panicles loose or slightly contracted. Lower glumes 4.6-7.5 mm long; upper glumes 6-9 mm long; lowest lemmas 8.5-14 mm long (including awns); awns 4.5-8 mm long.
Schmidtia pappophoroides grows in open bushland on sandy or stony soil at about 580 m. Its distribution includes regions N2 and N3 of the Flora of Somalia and extends to Ethiopia and Socotra, the Cape Verde islands and Pakistan, the latter two probably as introductions.