Digitaria abyssinica

Species category

Weed

Common name

African couchgrass, Abyssinian finger grass

Diagnostic characters

Planting unit

FloretFloret:
A small flower in a clustered inflorescence (e.g., sunflower, grasses). In grasses, a floret consists of the lemma, palea, stamens, and pistil.

Shape

EllipticElliptic:
Outline of an ellipse; greatest width midway sloping to an equally pointed apex and base.

Size

  • Length 1.5–2 mm
  • Width 0.5–0.9 mm
  • Thickness 0.4–0.5 mm

Color

Light brown

Texture

GlabrousGlabrous:
Lacking hairs or pubescence.
and smooth GlumesGlume:
The pair of chaffy bracts that occur at the base of a grass spikelet, often completely enclosing it.
are longitudinally ribbed

Lemma

GlabrousGlabrous:
Lacking hairs or pubescence.
and smooth

Palea

GlabrousGlabrous:
Lacking hairs or pubescence.
and smooth

Other structures

Sterile lemmaLemma:
One of two bracts of the grass floret; it is located on the side nearest the embryo and opposite the rachilla.
and glumesGlume:
The pair of chaffy bracts that occur at the base of a grass spikelet, often completely enclosing it.
are papery and ribbed.

Identification notes

The outer glumeGlume:
The pair of chaffy bracts that occur at the base of a grass spikelet, often completely enclosing it.
is small. The unit can be either a floretFloret:
A small flower in a clustered inflorescence (e.g., sunflower, grasses). In grasses, a floret consists of the lemma, palea, stamens, and pistil.
or spikeletSpikelet:
One or more florets that are subtended by a pair of bracts called glumes. Spikelets are pedicellate if located on a pedicle and sessile if attached directly to the rachis. Often spikelets with single florets have remnants of a second floret, usually a lemma.
. These seeds are totally round with only a trace of cells forming a line half the way around the seed. They have been confused with mustard (Brassica spp.) seeds.

Noxious weed seed categories

Federal

Learn more on ITP's Federal Noxious Weed Disseminules tool.

AOSA examination list

Not included

More information

For more information, see ISMA fact sheet, Digitaria spp.

Nomenclature

Family

Poaceae

Valid name

Digitaria abyssinica (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Stapf

Synonyms

Digitaria scalarum (Schweinf.) Chiov.
Digitaria vestita Fig. & De Not.

 Digitaria abyssinica . Inflorescence. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Digitaria abyssinica. Inflorescence. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
 Digitaria abyssinica . The seeds are totally round with only a trace of cells forming a line half the way around the seed. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Digitaria abyssinica. The seeds are totally round with only a trace of cells forming a line half the way around the seed. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
 Digitaria abyssinica . Florets with a sterile lemma and glumes that are papery and ribbed. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Digitaria abyssinica. Florets with a sterile lemma and glumes that are papery and ribbed. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
 Digitaria abyssinica . Spikelets. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.
Digitaria abyssinica. Spikelets. Photo by Julia Scher, USDA-APHIS-PPQ.