Black seed finger grass
Digitaria ternata

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A wild millet grass. It is a tufted annual grass. It grows 1.5 m high. The leaves are narrow and flat. The stems have 3 or 4 seed racemes extending sideways and 15 cm long. The seed are 2 mm long. They are dark coloured.

There are about 250 Digitaria species. Possibly not naturalised in Tasmania.

Where it is found

It grows in tropical and subtropical places. In Argentina it grows from sea level to 2,000 m above sea level. Tasmanian Herbarium.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bhutan, Brazil, Burkina Faso, China, East Africa, Eswatini, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, SE Asia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Southern Africa, South America, Swaziland, Tasmania, Thailand, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

It is harvested as a wild cereal in times of scarcity.

Edible parts

Seeds, cereal

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

Cynodon ternatum A. Rich.; Panicum ternatum (A. Rich.) Steudel; Paspalum ternatum (A. Rich.) Hook.f.;