Loosely tufted annual; culms 15-70 cm high, often weak and ascending. Leaf-blades broadly linear, 4-25 cm long, 4-22 mm wide. Inflorescence of 7-15 racemes borne on an axis 6-15 cm long; racemes 2-9 cm long, often compound, bearing mostly paired distant spikelets spreading from the triquetrous rhachis, the inflorescence imitating a panicle; pedicels, or some of them, longer than the spikelets, up to 15 mm long. Spikelets broadly elliptic, 2.5-3.5 mm long, glabrous to pubescent, acute, with a short stipe up to 0.5 mm long; lower glume a third to half the length of the spikelet; upper glume and lower lemma membranous; upper lemma rugose, subacute to acute.

Fl. & Fr. Per.: July-October.

Type: Ghana, Thonning (C).

Distribution: Pakistan (Baluchistan, Punjab & Kashmir); Senegal to Yemen and southwards to South Africa; a few records in India.

Brachiaria deflexa intergrades completely with Brachiaria ramosa, and may be no more than a geographical race. This relationship discourages the transfer of Brachiaria deflexa to Panicum despite its panicle-like inflorescence.

Brachiaria deflexa is a rare plant in Pakistan, preferring the shade of forests to open grassland.