Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness

Presented in Association with the
Western New Mexico University Department of Natural Sciences

Digitaria californica (Bentham) Henrard
(Arizona Cottontop)


Family: Poaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
Trichachne californica (Bentham) Chase
Valota saccharata (Buckley) Chase

Digitaria californica, according to Allred, was so named because of specimens from Baja California-- it is not known from the state of California! It is a beautiful grass with spikelets with long whitish hairs that give it a "cottony" appearance. The spikes stand erect along the axis of the inflorescence, and the panicles have 3 or more nodes.
Please click on an image for a larger file.



Digitaria californica, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Saddlerock Cyn., Oct. 24, 2007



Digitaria californica, detail of spikelets, photo Russ Kleinman & Richard Felger, Burro Mtns., Knight Peak, Oct. 6, 2007


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