Taxon: Digitaria longiflora (Retz.) Pers.

Summary

Genus:

Digitaria

Family:

Poaceae (alt. Gramineae)

Subfamily:

Panicoideae

Tribe:

Paniceae

Subtribe:

Anthephorinae

Nomen number:

14033

Place of publication:

Syn. pl. 1:85. 1805

Protologue link:

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/234870

Verified:

12/17/1995 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

10 (2 active, 1 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Basionym
Paspalum longiflorum Retz.

Homotypic Synonym(s)
Syntherisma longiflorum (Retz.) Skeels

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Digitaria friesii Pilg.
Paspalum brevifolium Flüggé

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
Catasús Guerra, L. J. 2002. Las gramíneas (Poaceae) de Cuba, II. Cavanillesia Altera 3:1-163.
Chauhan, B. S. & D. E. Johnson. 2008. Germination ecology of southern crabgrass (Digitaria ciliaris) and India crabgrass (Digitaria longiflora): Two important weeds of rice in tropics. Weed Sci. 56:722-728.
CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: four books on weeds worldwide in scope
Cufodontis, G. 1953-1972. Enumeratio plantarum aethiopiae: Spermatophyta.
Dansi, A. et al. 2010. Diversity, conservation and related wild species of Fonio millet (Digitaria spp.) in the northwest of Benin. Genet. Resources Crop Evol. 57:827-839.
Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
Gibbs-Russell, G. E. et al. 1990. Grasses of southern Africa. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa vol. 58
Giraldo-Cañas, D. 2011. Catálogo de la familia Poaceae en Colombia. Darwiniana 49:139-247.
Grierson, A. J. C. & D. J. Long. 1984-. Flora of Bhutan including a record of plants from Sikkim.
Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
Holm, L. et al. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds
Holm, L. et al. 1997. World weeds: natural histories and distribution John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 303.
Holttum, R. E. et al. 1953-1971. A revised flora of Malaya.
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Kabelo, M. & D. Mafokate. 2004. A checklist of Botswana grasses. S. African Bot. Diversity Network Rep. 24:1-16.
Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
Lazarides, M. 1980. The tropical grasses of Southeast Asia
McElroy, J. S. & P. C. Bhowmik. 2013. 22. Turfgrass weed management. In: Casler, M. D. & R. R. Duncan, eds., Turfgrass biology, genetics, and breeding 56:777-808. DOI: 10.2134/agronmonogr56.c22.
Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
Smith, A. C. 1979-1991. Flora vitiensis nova.
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).
Zon, A. P. M. van der. 1992. Graminées du Cameroun
Zuloaga, F. O. et al. 2003. Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae): III. Subfamilies Panicoideae, Aristidoideae, Arundinoideae, and Danthonioideae. Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 46:205.

Common names

Language	Name	Alternate name	note	seq	Citation
English	wire crabgrass			1	Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Kenya			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Tanzania		incl. Pemba, Zanzibar	Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Uganda			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Ethiopia			Cufodontis, G. 1953-1972. Enumeratio plantarum aethiopiae: Spermatophyta.
1	Native	Africa	Northeast Tropical Africa	Somalia			Cufodontis, G. 1953-1972. Enumeratio plantarum aethiopiae: Spermatophyta.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Malawi			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Mozambique			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zambia			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zimbabwe			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Botswana			Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Eswatini			Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	Namibia			Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	KwaZulu-Natal		Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1	Native	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa	Transvaal		Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Benin			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Burkina Faso			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Côte D'Ivoire			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Gambia			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Ghana			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Guinea			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Liberia			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Mali			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Nigeria			Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Senegal			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Sierra Leone			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Togo			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Cameroon			Zon, A. P. M. van der. 1992. Graminées du Cameroun
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Democratic Republic of the Congo			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Gabon			Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Fujian Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guizhou Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hunan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Jiangxi Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Sichuan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Yunnan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Taiwan			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Bhutan			Grierson, A. J. C. & D. J. Long. 1984-. Flora of Bhutan including a record of plants from Sikkim.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Nepal			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Pakistan			Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Sri Lanka			Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Cambodia
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Laos			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Myanmar			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Thailand			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Vietnam			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Indonesia			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Malaysia			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Philippines			Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Papuasia	Papua New Guinea
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	New South Wales		Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Northern Territory		Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Queensland		Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Western Australia		Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida		Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Maranhão		Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Mato Grosso		Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Paraná		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Rio de Janeiro		Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Rio Grande do Sul		Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil	Roraima		Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Cuba			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Puerto Rico		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).

Native
Africa

NORTHEAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Ethiopia, Somalia
EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania (incl. Pemba, Zanzibar), Uganda
WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon
WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte D'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo
SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Botswana, Namibia, Eswatini, South Africa [KwaZulu-Natal, Transvaal]

Asia-Temperate

CHINA: China [Fujian Sheng, Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu, Guizhou Sheng, Hunan Sheng, Jiangxi Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Yunnan Sheng]
EASTERN ASIA: Taiwan

Asia-Tropical

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan
PAPUASIA: Papua New Guinea
INDO-CHINA: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
MALESIA: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines

Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia [New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, Northern Territory]

Naturalized
Northern America

SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Florida]

Southern America

CARIBBEAN: Cuba, United States [Puerto Rico]
BRAZIL: Brazil [Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Roraima]

Reference(s)

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. Flora of the West Indies (on-line resource).
Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62
Cufodontis, G. 1953-1972. Enumeratio plantarum aethiopiae: Spermatophyta.
Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca.
Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
Grierson, A. J. C. & D. J. Long. 1984-. Flora of Bhutan including a record of plants from Sikkim.
Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Keay, R. W. J. & F. N. Hepper. 1953-1972. Flora of west tropical Africa, ed. 2.
Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa.
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Wunderlin, R. & B. Hansen. Atlas of Florida vascular plants (on-line resource).
Zon, A. P. M. van der. 1992. Graminées du Cameroun

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Harmful organism host	crop diseases	ergot	Holm, L. et al. 1997. World weeds: natural histories and distribution John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York. 303.
Weed			CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: four books on weeds worldwide in scope
Weed		of turfgrass	McElroy, J. S. & P. C. Bhowmik. 2013. 22. Turfgrass weed management. In: Casler, M. D. & R. R. Duncan, eds., Turfgrass biology, genetics, and breeding 56:777-808. DOI: 10.2134/agronmonogr56.c22.

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=14033. Accessed 17 April 2026.