Plants annuals, up to 100 cm tall, ascending. Leaves linear, acuminate, setaceous. Inflorescences with central axes 3-20 cm long bearing 3-14 widely spaced rames; rames spreading horizonatally or deflexing at maturity, 1-7 cm long, slended, secund, bearing paired spikelets on a 3-angled central axi. Spikelets narrowly elliptic, 2-3.5 mm long glabrous, subacute, without a stipe; lower glumes 1/3-1/2 as along as the spikelets, clasping; upper glumes separated from the lower by distinct internode 0.2-0.5 mm long; upper lemmas coarsely rugose, subacute.
Brachiaria leersioides grows in open Acacia woodland on red sand at 300-1900 m. It is known from regions N, C1, s1, and S3 of the Flora of Somalia plus tropical Africa and Arabia.