Description
Digitaria eriantha, commonly known as digitgrass[3] or Pangola-grass,[4] 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 lodging, suppresses weeds and grows relatively quickly after grazing. This grass demonstrates great potential for farmers in Africa in subtropical and tropical climates, mostly for livestock feed.
Digitaria eriantha is a monocot and in the family of Poaceae.[5] "It is perennial, sometimes stoloniferous or tufted".[5] This grass grows a dense tussock with extended stolons, which are covered with hairs or without hairs.[6] Each grass, erect or ascending, reaches between 35 and 180 cm tall.[5] The lowest basal leaf sheaths are densely hairy, or very rarely smooth.[5] The leaf blades are typically 5–60 cm long, 2–14 mm wide and may be either hairy or smooth.[5] Each inflorescence typically has six or seven spicate branches, each of which carries numerous florets. These spikelets are usually 2–4 mm long, where the lower glume is as long as the spikelet and the upper glumes are where the lemma is situated (covered with 1 mm long hairs).
Uses
Usually digit grass is used for hay and pasture. It can withstand very heavy grazing and grows quite quickly.
References
ECHO Asia SFRC
Common Names
- English
- Pangola Grass
- Common finger grass
- Woolly finger grass
- Giant Pangola Grass
- Smuts finger grass
- Digit grass