Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop., Poaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Panicum sanguinale L.; Syntherisma sanguinale (L.) Dulac

Common name(s): [more details]

Bontoc: pagpagai

Chinese: ma tang

English: crab finger grass, hairy crabgrass, hairy fingergrass, hairy summer grass, large crabgrass, purple crabgrass, summer grass

French: digitaire sanguine, manne terrestre, panic sanguin, sanguinette

Iloko: saka-saka

Japanese: inubie, mehishiba

Spanish: conejo, frente de toro, fresadilla, garrachuelo, gaudín, guardarrocio, manga larga, pasto cangrijo, pasto colchón, pasto cuaresma, pata de gallina, pata de gallo, pata de paloma

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Annual with weak, spreading culms mostly 30-100 mm long, these often decumbent at base and rooting at the lower nodes, the erect culm or branch tips seldom more than about 60 cm tall.  Sheaths typically pubescent with papilla-based hairs.  Ligules membranous, glabrous, irregularly dissected, mostly 1.0-2.5 mm long.  Blades soft, flat, 5-10 mm broad, pubescent on one or both surfaces to nearly glabrous.  Inflorescence usually with 4-9 erect or spreading , unbranched, racemose branches, these digitate at the culm apex or at the apex and in the 1-2 irregular verticils below.  Spikelets in pairs of one sessile and one pediceled, usually 2.7-3.0 mm long but occasionally longer.  First glume a minute, triangular scale or absent.   Lower lemma of both sessile and pediceled spikelets with 5 unequally spaced nerves, the lateral crowded to the margins, the midnerve with a wide space on either side.  Spikelets green or purple-tinged" (Howard, 1979; p. 105).

"Annual; decumbent, spreading; culms geniculate, usually rooting at the lower nodes, ascending, to 1 m long or more; sheaths shorter than internodes, pubescent; ligule a thin truncate membrane 1-2 mm long; racemes digitate or with a second or third node below the apex; rachis narrowly winged, c. 1 mm wide; spikelets 3 mm long, first glume small; second glume 3/4 as long as fruit; sterile lemma slightly longer; usually villous" (Stone, 1970; p. 208).

Description from GrassBase.
Description from the Flora of China online.

Habitat/ecology:  "Frequent in disturbed soils of gardens and ditches; usually growing as a weed of moist, disturbed sites" (Howard, 1979; p. 105).

"In Chile this species grows in the following environmental conditions:  Low altitude, interior valleys; coastal mountains, 500-2000 m; coastal areas, 0 - 500 m.  Dry, arid areas, with long drought periods of 6-10 months, precipitations of 100 mm-300 mm. are concentrated in winter; somewhat dry areas where the drought may last 3-5 months, precipitations of 400-800 mm. are concentrated in winter.  Fully exposed to the sun, level areas or slopes facing north"  (Chileflora).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Africa, Europe, Asia; widely naturalized elsewhere, including North America (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced	Pickard, J. (1984) (p. 205)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 22) "A weed of cultivated and wasteland, as it is throughout the warm temperate regions of the world". Voucher cited: L.M. Bingley 34 (K)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive cultivated	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 553)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2002) (voucher ID: PTBG 40800) Taxon name on voucher: Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Kermadec Islands	introduced invasive	Edgar, E./Connor, H. (2000) (p. 542) "Almost cosmopolitan and weedy".
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Raoul Island	introduced invasive	Sykes, W. R./West, C. J. (1996) (p. 452)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (pp. 95-97)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 65, 77)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Merrill, Elmer D. (1925) (pp. 54-55)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 57)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 57)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) Naturalized
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia Naturalized
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (pp. 95-97)
British Columbia (province of Canada) Province of British Columbia	Canada (British Columbia)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (pp. 95-97)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 128)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. plate)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Fields, roadsides, weedy places. Anhui, Gansu, Guizhou, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Xizang.
China China	Hong Kong	native	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 332) Along roadside.
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 65, 77)
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (pp. 95-97)
South Korea South Korea	South Korea (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 128)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 95)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 65, 77)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (pp. 95-97)
Negara Brunei Darussalam Brunei	Brunei (Negara Brunei Darussalam)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 65, 77)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Edgar, E./Connor, H. (2000) (p. 542) "Cultivated ground (gardens, lawns, street berms), waste land. Almost cosmopolitan and weedy".
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 65, 77)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (pp. 95-97)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (pp. 95-97)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (pp. 95-97)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Fields, roadsides, weedy places.
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 65, 77)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (Oregon)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (Washington)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	introduced invasive	Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 95)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 65, 77)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Maldives Maldive Islands	Maldive Islands		Fosberg, F. R. (1957) (p. 11)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Canada Canada	Canada	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Digitaria sanguinalis, please let us know.