A healthy, mature tuft of Fingerhuthia africana grass in the Little Karoo has green leaves and several inflorescences to show after good rains by May. Leaves and the spike-like panicles are positioned high and low in the tuft, notably of uneven length.

There are only two species in the Fingerhuthia genus, both occurring in South Africa, but also as far afield as the Arabian Peninsula and Asia (Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; Wikipedia).