Scientific Name | Digitaria californica (Trichachne californica) | USDA PLANTS Symbol | DICA8 |
Common Name | Arizona Cottontop | ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. | 40618 |
Family | Poaceae (Grass) | SEINet Reference |
Click Here |
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