''Digitaria'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of plants in the

grass family Poaceae ( ), also called Gramineae ( ), is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos, the grasses of natural grassland and species cultivated in ...

native to tropical and warm temperate regions but can occur in tropical, subtropical, and cooler temperate regions as well. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and

fonio Fonio, also sometimes called findi or acha, is the term for two cultivated grasses in the genus '' Digitaria'' that are important crops in parts of West Africa. It is a vital food source in many rural areas, especially in the mountains of Fouta ...

. They are slender

monocotyledon Monocotyledons (), commonly referred to as monocots, ( Lilianae '' sensu'' Chase & Reveal) are flowering plants whose seeds contain only one embryonic leaf, or cotyledon. A monocot taxon has been in use for several decades, but with various ranks ...

ous annual and perennial lawn, pasture, and forage plants; some are often considered lawn pests. ''Digitus'' is the

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

word for "finger", and they are distinguished by the long, finger-like

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

s they produce. Large-crabgrass-11258-seedhead2

Uses

The seeds are edible, most notably those of

(''

Digitaria exilis ''Digitaria exilis'', referred to as findi or fundi in areas of Africa, such as The Gambia, with English common names white fonio, fonio millet, and hungry rice or acha rice, is a grass species. It is the most important of a diverse group of wil ...

'' and ''

Digitaria iburua ''Digitaria iburua'', commonly known as iburu, is a grass species native to west and west-central tropical Africa, which is cultivated as a grain crop known as black fonio. Iburu (''D. iburua'') is closely related to white fonio ('' D. exilis''), ...

''), ''

Digitaria sanguinalis ''Digitaria sanguinalis'' is a species of Poaceae, grass known by several common names, including hairy crabgrass, hairy finger-grass, large crabgrass, crab finger grass, purple crabgrass. It is one of the better-known species of the genus ''Digi ...

'', as well as ''

Digitaria compacta ''Digitaria compacta'' is a grass species native to India and Indochina. It is cultivated in the Khasi Hills of northeast India, used as a glutinous flour for making bread or porridge, and known as raishan. It is cultivated in maize fields by so ...

''. They can be toasted, ground into a

flour Flour is a powder made by Mill (grinding), grinding raw grains, List of root vegetables, roots, beans, Nut (fruit), nuts, or seeds. Flours are used to make many different foods. Cereal flour, particularly wheat flour, is the main ingredie ...

, made into

porridge Porridge is a food made by heating, soaking or boiling ground, crushed or chopped starchy plants, typically grain, in milk or water. It is often cooked or served with added flavourings such as sugar, honey, fruit, or syrup to make a sweet cereal ...

fermented Fermentation is a type of anaerobic metabolism which harnesses the redox potential of the reactants to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and organic end products. Organic compound, Organic molecules, such as glucose or other sugars, are Catabo ...

to make

beer Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches from cereal grain—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats are also used. The grain is mashed to convert starch in the ...

. Fonio has been widely used as a

staple crop A staple food, food staple, or simply staple, is a food that is eaten often and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a standard diet for an individual or a population group, supplying a large fraction of energy needs an ...

in parts of

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

. It also has decent nutrient qualities as a

forage Forage is a plant material (mainly plant leaves and stems) eaten by grazing livestock. Historically, the term ''forage'' has meant only plants eaten by the animals directly as pasture, crop residue, or immature cereal crops, but it is also used m ...

for cattle.

Lawns

The prevalent species of ''Digitaria'' in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

are large crabgrass (''D. sanguinalis''), sometimes known as hairy crabgrass; and smooth crabgrass (''D. ischaemum''). These species often become problem

weed A weed is a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, growing where it conflicts with human preferences, needs, or goals.Harlan, J. R., & deWet, J. M. (1965). Some thoughts about weeds. ''Economic botany'', ''19''(1), 16-24. Pla ...

s in lawns and gardens, growing especially well in thin lawns that are watered lightly, under-fertilized, and poorly drained. They are annual plants, and one plant is capable of producing 150,000 seeds per season. The seeds germinate in the late spring and early summer and outcompete the domesticated lawn grasses, expanding outward in a circle up to in diameter. In the autumn when the plants die, they leave large voids in the lawn. The voids then become prime areas for the crabgrass seeds to germinate the following season.

Biological control Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, whether pest animals such as insects and mites, weeds, or pathogens affecting animals or plants by using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or o ...

is preferable over

herbicide Herbicides (, ), also commonly known as weed killers, are substances used to control undesired plants, also known as weeds.EPA. February 201Pesticides Industry. Sales and Usage 2006 and 2007: Market Estimates. Summary in press releasMain page f ...

use on lawns, as crabgrass emergence is not the cause of poor lawn health but a symptom, and it will return annually if the lawn is not restored with fertilization and proper watering. Crabgrass is quickly outcompeted by healthy lawn grass because, as an annual plant, crabgrass dies off in autumn and needs open conditions for its germination the following spring.

Selected species

*''

Digitaria ammophila ''Digitaria'' is a genus of plants in the grass family native to tropical and warm temperate regions but can occur in tropical, subtropical, and cooler temperate regions as well. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and fonio. They are ...

'' (Benth.) Hughes – silky umbrella grass *''

Digitaria bicornis ''Digitaria'' is a genus of plants in the grass family native to tropical and warm temperate regions but can occur in tropical, subtropical, and cooler temperate regions as well. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and fonio. They are ...

'' (Lam.) Roemer & J.A.Schultes ex Loud. – Asian crabgrass *''

Digitaria brownii ''Digitaria brownii'', also known as cotton grass or cotton panic grass, is a species of perennial grass in the genus of Digitaria. Description The maximum height for ''D. brownii'' is with the average height being . Its flat hairless leave ...

'' (Roem. & Schult.) Hughes – cotton panic grass *''

Digitaria californica ''Digitaria californica'' is a species of grass known by the common name Arizona cottontop. It is native to the Americas, where it can be found in the southwestern United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America.Digitaria ciliaris ''Digitaria ciliaris'' is a species of grass known by the common names southern crabgrass,''Digitaria ...

'' (Retz.) Koeler – summer grass, southern crabgrass *''

Digitaria cognata ''Digitaria cognata'' is a species of grass known by the common names fall witchgrass,''Digitaria cogna ...

'' (Schult.) Pilg. – fall witchgrass, Carolina crabgrass, mountain hairgrass *''

'' (Roth ex Roem. & Schult.) Veldkamp *''

Digitaria cruciata ''Digitaria'' is a genus of plants in the grass family native to tropical and warm temperate regions but can occur in tropical, subtropical, and cooler temperate regions as well. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and fonio. They are ...

'' (Nees) A. Camus *''

Digitaria ctenantha ''Digitaria'' is a genus of plants in the grass family native to tropical and warm temperate regions but can occur in tropical, subtropical, and cooler temperate regions as well. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and fonio. They are ...

'' (F.Muell.) Hughes – comb finger grass *''

Digitaria didactyla ''Digitaria didactyla'' is a species of grass known by the common names blue couch, Queensland blue couch, blue serangoon grass, green serangoon grass, blue stargrass, and ''petit gazon'' (in Mauritius).Cook, B. G., et al''Digitaria didactyla''.T ...

'' Willd. – Queensland blue couch *'' Digitaria divaricatissima var. macractinia'' (Benth.) Heather L.Stewart & N.G.Walsh *''

Digitaria eriantha ''Digitaria eriantha'', commonly known as digitgrass or Pangola-grass, is a grass grown in tropical and subtropical climates. It grows relatively well in various soils, but grows especially well in moist soils. It is tolerant to droughts, water l ...

'' Steud. – pangolagrass, Smuts finger grass, woolly finger grass *''

'' (Kippist) Stapf – white fonio *''

Digitaria filiformis ''Digitaria'' is a genus of plants in the grass family native to tropical and warm temperate regions but can occur in tropical, subtropical, and cooler temperate regions as well. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and fonio. They are ...

'' (L.) Koeler – slender crabgrass *''

Digitaria gracillima ''Digitaria'' is a genus of plants in the grass family native to tropical and warm temperate regions but can occur in tropical, subtropical, and cooler temperate regions as well. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and fonio. They are ...

'' (Scribn.) Fernald – longleaf crabgrass *''

Digitaria horizontalis ''Digitaria'' is a genus of plants in the grass family native to tropical and warm temperate regions but can occur in tropical, subtropical, and cooler temperate regions as well. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and fonio. They are ...

'' Willd. – Jamaican crabgrass *''

'' Stapf – Black fonio *'' Digitaria insularis'' (L.) Fedde – sourgrass *''

Digitaria ischaemum ''Digitaria ischaemum'' is a species of Digitaria, crabgrass known by the common names smooth crabgrass and small crabgrass. It is native to Europe and Asia, but it is known throughout much of the warm temperate world as an introduced species an ...

'' (Schreb.) Schreb. ex Muhl. – smooth crabgrass, small crabgrass, smooth finger grass *''

Digitaria longiflora ''Digitaria longiflora'' is a species of crabgrass. It is the wild progenitor of the West African domesticated crop ''Digitaria exilis ''Digitaria exilis'', referred to as findi or fundi in areas of Africa, such as The Gambia, with English co ...

'' (Retz.) Pers. – Indian crabgrass *''

Digitaria milanjiana ''Digitaria'' is a genus of plants in the Poaceae, grass family native to tropical and warm temperate regions but can occur in tropical, subtropical, and cooler temperate regions as well. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and fonio. ...

'' (Rendle) Stapf – Madagascar crabgrass *''

Digitaria nuda ''Digitaria'' is a genus of plants in the grass family native to tropical and warm temperate regions but can occur in tropical, subtropical, and cooler temperate regions as well. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and fonio. They are ...

'' Schumacher – naked crabgrass *''

Digitaria pauciflora ''Digitaria pauciflora'' is a species of Poaceae, grass known by the common names twospike crabgrass, Florida pineland crabgrass, Everglades grass, few-flowered fingergrass, and particular grass. It is endemism, endemic to Florida in the United S ...

'' Hitchc. – twospike crabgrass *''

Digitaria platycarpha ''Digitaria platycarpha'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Poaceae (grasses), native to the Bonin Islands and the Volcano Islands The or are a group of three Japanese-governed islands in Micronesia. They lie south of th ...

'' (Trin.) Stapf *''

Digitaria petelotii ''Digitaria'' is a genus of plants in the grass family native to tropical and warm temperate regions but can occur in tropical, subtropical, and cooler temperate regions as well. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and fonio. They are ...

'' Henrard *'' Digitaria radicosa'' (C.Presl) Miq. – trailing crabgrass *''

'' (L.) Scop. – hairy crabgrass, large crabgrass *''

Digitaria seriata ''Digitaria'' is a genus of plants in the grass family native to tropical and warm temperate regions but can occur in tropical, subtropical, and cooler temperate regions as well. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and fonio. They are ...

'' Stapf – Sandveld fingergrass *''

Digitaria setigera ''Digitaria setigera'', also more commonly called East Indian crabgrass, is a species of Perennial plant, perennial grass in the family of Poaceae. Description ''Digitaria setigera'' has cauline leaves that are a little over 30mm (1.1 inches) ...

'' Roth ex Roemer & J.A.Schultes – East Indian crabgrass *''

Digitaria serotina ''Digitaria'' is a genus of plants in the grass family native to tropical and warm temperate regions but can occur in tropical, subtropical, and cooler temperate regions as well. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and fonio. They are ...

'' (Walt.) Michx. – dwarf crabgrass *'' Digitaria stenotaphrodes'' (Nees ex Steud.) Stapf *''

Digitaria texana ''Digitaria'' is a genus of plants in the grass family native to tropical and warm temperate regions but can occur in tropical, subtropical, and cooler temperate regions as well. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and fonio. They are ...

'' A.S.Hitchc. – Texas crabgrass *''

Digitaria velutina ''Digitaria'' is a genus of plants in the grass family native to tropical and warm temperate regions but can occur in tropical, subtropical, and cooler temperate regions as well. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and fonio. They are ...

'' (Forssk.) P.Beauv – velvet crabgrass *''

Digitaria villosa ''Digitaria'' is a genus of plants in the grass family native to tropical and warm temperate regions but can occur in tropical, subtropical, and cooler temperate regions as well. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and fonio. They are ...

'' (Walt.) Pers. – shaggy crabgrass *'' Digitaria violascens'' Link – violet crabgrass

References

External links

* * {{Authority control

Digitaria ''Digitaria'' is a genus of plants in the grass family native to tropical and warm temperate regions but can occur in tropical, subtropical, and cooler temperate regions as well. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and fonio. They ar ...

Poaceae genera Cereals