Digitaria californica
(Arizona Cottontop)
Digitaria californica, Sierra de Chino, River Road West, Big Bend National Park 2359
Digitaria californica, Sierra de Chino, River Road West, Big Bend National Park 2358
Digitaria californica, Sierra de Chino, River Road West, Big Bend National Park 2370
| Scientific Name | Digitaria californica (Trichachne californica) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | DICA8 |
| Common Name | Arizona Cottontop | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 40618 |
| Family | Poaceae (Grass) | SEINet Reference |
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| Description | Habitat: Rocky soils in open areas, slopes, prairies, brushlands; 1,000 to 6000 ft. Plant: Perennial grass, 16 to 40 inches tall, with erect stems from a swollen, knotty base. Foliage: Lower sheaths with pubescent hairs, upper sheaths are smooth; leaf blades are flat or folded, bluish-green, about 3/16-inch wide and 3 to 4-3/4 inches long with hairs on the upper side near the ligule (at the leaf/stem junction). Inflorescence: Dense spike 2 to 6-1/4 inches long with 4 to 10 erect, appressed branches, each up to 4 inches long each with numeous spikelets that are about 3/16-inch long or less (excluding hairs) and covered with soft, white-silky hairs tinged with purple. Bloom Period: August to October. References: iNaturalist, SEINet and University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; Trichachne californica in "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston. |
BONAP Distribution Map Map Color Key |
Texas Status: Native |
Banner photo of Castilleja indivisa and Lupinus ssp. taken along FM 1323 north of Johnson City, Blanco County
© Tom Lebsack 2024