Couch finger grass, Longflower fingergrass
Digitaria longiflora

Family: Poaceae

What it is like

A wild millet grass. It is a tufted annual grass. It can have both underground stems or rhizomes and runners or stolons. It can keep growing for some years. It grows 30-60 cm high.

There are about 250 Digitaria species.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows on moist sand and rocky soils. It is a tropical plant but can grow in temperate places. In southern China it grows in grasslands between 600-1,100 m above sea level. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, Bhutan, Botswana, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Burkina Faso, China, East Africa, Gambia, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Laos, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pacific, Pakistan, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Southern Africa, South America, Sri Lanka, St. Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, West Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

It is harvested as a wild cereal in times of scarcity. It is grown as a food crop in some places.

Edible parts

Seeds, cereal

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Buaede, Chikolowa, Cure, Djadje-maudo, Djadje-o, Djadje, Fonio-tcholi, Fundo-bravo, Guarcam, Iete, Imbilo, Kanka-jariya, Obife, Oife, Pakuru gaddi, Pebife, Tapari-hullu, Upadja, Ura

Synonyms

Digitaria filiculmis (Nees ex Miq.) Ohwi; Digitaria preslii (Kunth) Henr.; Digitaria roxburghii Spreng.; Milium filiforme Roxb.; Panicum longiflorum (Retz.) Gmel.; Panicum parvulum Trin.; Paspalum brevifolium Flugge; Paspalum filiculme Nees ex Miq.; Paspalum longiflorum Retz.; Paspalum preslii Kunth; Paspalum pseudodurva Nees; Paspalum pseudodurva var. minus Nees.; Paspalum pubescenes Presl; Syntherisma longiflora (Retz.) Skeels;