Southern crabgrass (Digitaria bicornis, Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis 2: 470 (1817))

Family: Poaceae

Author: (Lam.) Roem. & Schult.

Bibliography: Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis 2: 470 (1817)

Year: 1817

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Digitaria

Vegetable: False

Observations: W. Indian Ocean, Trop. & Subtrop. Asia to N. Australia

Description

Southern crabgrass, known scientifically as Digitaria bicornis, was first classified in 1817 as per the bibliographic reference Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis 2: 470 (1817) by (Lam.) Roem. & Schult. This resilient grass species is part of the Poaceae family, one of the largest and most widespread plant families, commonly referred to as the grass family.

Native to the warm climates, Southern crabgrass thrives across a vast geographical range. It is found in the Western Indian Ocean and extends through tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, reaching as far as Northern Australia. This wide distribution underscores its adaptability to various environmental conditions, from coastal regions to inland areas with diverse climates.

Its ability to grow in different habitats makes Southern crabgrass a successful colonizer and a notable species within the Poaceae family. Its growth habits and ecological role underline its importance in both natural ecosystems and, often, as a species of interest in agricultural settings due to its competitive nature with crops.

Understanding Southern crabgrass not only provides insight into its biological characteristics but also underscores the evolutionary success of grasses within diverse environmental landscapes.

Common Names

Eng: asian crabgrass, southern crabgrass, crabgrass
Por: capim-colchão, capim-pé-de-galinha, capim-tinga
Spa: pata de gallina
En: Southern crabgrass, Crabgrass, Asian crabgrass, Tropical crabgrass
Pt: Capim-colchão, Capim-pé-de-galinha, Capim-tinga
Es: Pata de gallina

Synonyms

• Panicum bicorne ((Lam.) Kunth)
• Digitaria setigera subsp. marattensis ((Henrard) Bor)
• Panicum sanguinale var. biforme ((Willd.) Hack.)
• Digitaria barbata (Willd.)
• Panicum sanguinale var. barcaldinense (Domin)
• Digitaria barbulata (Desv.)
• Digitaria nuda subsp. senegalensis (Henrard)
• Digitaria biformis subsp. desvauxii (Henrard)
• Digitaria bicornis subsp. lamarckiana (Henrard)
• Panicum biforme ((Willd.) Kunth)
• Digitaria diversiflora (Swallen)
• Digitaria rottleri (Roem. & Schult.)
• Digitaria sanguinalis f. commutata ((Schult.) Haines)
• Digitaria biformis var. rachiseta (Bor)
• Digitaria bicornis subsp. gamblei (Henrard)
• Panicum ciliare (A.Rich.)
• Digitaria commutata (Schult.)
• Paspalum sanguinale var. commutatum ((Schult.) Hook.f.)
• Digitaria sanguinalis f. barbata (Henrard)
• Panicum neesii (Kunth)
• Digitaria biformis (Willd.)
• Syntherisma barbata ((Willd.) Nash)
• Paspalum bicorne (Lam.)
• Digitaria biformis subsp. willdenowii (Henrard)
• Panicum adpressum (Willd.)
• Digitaria queenslandica (Henrard)
• Digitaria corymbosa subsp. marattensis (Henrard)

Distribution

• Andaman Is. (native)
• Bangladesh (native)
• Bismarck Archipelago (native)
• Borneo (native)
• Cambodia (native)
• China South-Central (native)
• China Southeast (native)
• East Himalaya (native)
• Hainan (native)
• India (native)
• Jawa (native)
• Laos (native)
• Lesser Sunda Is. (native)
• Madagascar (native)
• Malaya (native)
• Maluku (native)
• Mauritius (native)
• Myanmar (native)
• Nepal (native)
• New Guinea (native)
• Nicobar Is. (native)
• Northern Territory (native)
• Philippines (native)
• Queensland (native)
• Rodrigues (native)
• Réunion (native)
• Sri Lanka (native)
• Sulawesi (native)
• Sumatera (native)
• Thailand (native)
• Vietnam (native)
• West Himalaya (native)
• Western Australia (native)
• Alabama (introduced)
• Argentina Northeast (introduced)
• Argentina Northwest (introduced)
• Bahamas (introduced)
• Bolivia (introduced)
• Brazil North (introduced)
• Brazil Northeast (introduced)
• Brazil South (introduced)
• Brazil Southeast (introduced)
• Brazil West-Central (introduced)
• Cameroon (introduced)
• Caroline Is. (introduced)
• Cayman Is. (introduced)
• Colombia (introduced)
• Costa Rica (introduced)
• Cuba (introduced)
• Dominican Republic (introduced)
• Ecuador (introduced)
• El Salvador (introduced)
• Fiji (introduced)
• Florida (introduced)
• Georgia (introduced)
• Guatemala (introduced)
• Haiti (introduced)
• Hawaii (introduced)
• Honduras (introduced)
• Iowa (introduced)
• Jamaica (introduced)
• Japan (introduced)
• Leeward Is. (introduced)
• Libya (introduced)
• Louisiana (introduced)
• Marianas (introduced)
• Mauritania (introduced)
• Mexican Pacific Is. (introduced)
• Mexico Central (introduced)
• Mexico Gulf (introduced)
• Mexico Northeast (introduced)
• Mexico Northwest (introduced)
• Mexico Southeast (introduced)
• Mexico Southwest (introduced)
• Mississippi (introduced)
• Nauru (introduced)
• Netherlands Antilles (introduced)
• Nicaragua (introduced)
• North Carolina (introduced)
• Panamá (introduced)
• Paraguay (introduced)
• Puerto Rico (introduced)
• Samoa (introduced)
• South Carolina (introduced)
• Texas (introduced)
• Turks-Caicos Is. (introduced)
• Uruguay (introduced)
• Venezuela (introduced)
• Virginia (introduced)
• Wake I. (introduced)
• Windward Is. (introduced)

Additional Images

Other

Taken Dec 2, 2014 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)

Taken Dec 2, 2014 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)

Taken Dec 2, 2014 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)

Taken Dec 2, 2014 by OTS – Oviedo-Brenes, Federico (cc-by-nc-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/5289968)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1218147-2)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Digitaria bicornis (Lam.) Roem. & Schult.)

Specifications

Growth habit>: Graminoid

Growth