SafePlants

Digitaria eriantha: Digitgrass or Pangola-grass

Digitaria eriantha, commonly known as digitgrass or Pangola-grass, is a versatile grass species adapted to tropical and subtropical climates.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Digitaria eriantha
• Common Names: Digitgrass, Pangola-grass, Common finger grass, Digit grass, Pangola grass, Woolly finger grass
• Synonyms: D. decumbens, D. pentzii, D. eriantha subsp. Pentzii
• Family: Poaceae (Grass family)
• Group: Monocot
• Taxonomic Rank: Species; also includes subspecies such as Digitaria eriantha ssp. eriantha
• Alternative Scientific Name: Digitaria smutsii (formerly used for Digitaria eriantha ssp. eriantha)

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to Africa.
• Grown in tropical and subtropical climates.
• Adaptable to a wide range of soil types, including friable sands, friable and hard setting loams, and friable cracking clays. It does not thrive in heavy cracking clays.
• Observed in locations such as Haiku, Maui, and Neutral Junction station north of Alice Springs.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Perennial grass.
• Summer-growing.
• Tufted growth habit.
• Forms an abundance of decumbent stems (stolons), which root at the nodes.
• Graminoid growth habit.

Ecological Role

• All genotypes are tolerant of heavy grazing, and regular grazing is necessary to maintain quality and minimize disease incidence.
• Shows poor tolerance to waterlogging. Jarra digit grass displayed good tolerance to surviving after 20 days.

Interactions with Other Organisms

• Studies have been conducted on the plant's yield and nitrogen content in response to Azospirillum inoculation.
• Research has explored the influence of root extract from various age Pangola digitgrass plants on egg hatch.
• Premier digit grass and Consol lovegrass host on acidic soils.

Further Information

• Premier Digitaria or 'Digit Grass' is a tufted, robust and highly productive perennial grass that is palatable and highly persistent.