Digitaria debilis

(Desf.) Willd.

Finger grass

Poaceae Edible: Seeds, Cereal 10 iNaturalist observations

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Description

A grass. It can form tufts or lie along the ground. It can grow each year from seeds or keep growing from year to year. It grows 60 cm high. The leaf blades are 20-25 mm long by 2-4 mm wide. The spikelets can occur singly or in pairs. They are 2-3 mm long by 1 mm wide.

Edible Uses

The seeds are harvested and used as a cereal grain.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows in sandy and clay soils. It grows between sea level to 1,600 m above sea level. It is often along river banks. It can grow in arid places.

Where It Grows

Africa, Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Chad, Congo, East Africa, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Europe, France, Ghana, Italy, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mediterranean, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, North Africa, Portugal, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Southern Africa, Spain, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Notes

There are about 250 Digitaria species.

Also Known As

Kindresifotsy

References (8)

Abbiw, D.K., 1990, Useful Plants of Ghana. West African uses of wild and cultivated plants. Intermediate Technology Publications and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. p 25
Busson, 1965,
Enum. pl. 1:91. 1809
Grivetti, L. E., 1980, Agricultural development: present and potential role of edible wild plants. Part 2: Sub-Saharan Africa, Report to the Department of State Agency for International Development. p 32
Jardin, C., 1970, List of Foods Used In Africa, FAO Nutrition Information Document Series No 2.p 2

Show all 8 references

Peters, C. R., O'Brien, E. M., and Drummond, R.B., 1992, Edible Wild plants of Sub-saharan Africa. Kew. p 21
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1999). Survey of Economic Plants for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (SEPASAL) database. Published on the Internet; http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ceb/sepasal/internet [Accessed 8th May 2011]
World Checklist of Useful Plant Species 2020. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew