Feather Fingergrass

It is reputed to be a good fodder grass.

This is a widespread and very variable, weedy annual, recognized by the conspicuous tufts of spreading, silky hairs on the upper lemma margins, together with a digitate inflorescence of erect racemes. It extends from the tropics well into temperate regions where the summers are hot.

From sea-level to 3500 m. According to Duthie this species, known in North America as Feather Finger-grass, is one of the characteristic grasses of the saline or usar tracts of Northwest India and Baluchistan and is reputed to be a good fodder grasses.

Culm procumbent, rooting at the basal node. Blade linear, 8-10 cm long; ligule about 0.5 mm long, fimbriate, pubescent on the back. Inflorescence of digitately arranged spikes. Spikelets 2-flowered, about 3-4 mm long (excluding awn), sessile; glumes lanceolate, hyaline, conspicuously 1-nerved; the lower glume 2/3 the length of the upper, about 1.5 mm long, acute or shortly awned; the upper about 2.2 mm long, conspicuously awned; lower floret fertile, lemma ovate-lanceolate, with a sinus at the apex, subcoriaceous, about 3 mm long, densely covered with silky hairs, especially along upper margin, 3-nerved, midrib prolonged into a long awn of about 7 mm long; palea subcoriaceous, as long as the lemma, 2-keeled, minutely 2-toothed; upper floret reduced to merely a lemma of about 2 mm long. Caryopsis elliptical, about 2 mm long; embryo 3/4 the length of the caryopsis.

Annual. Culms tufted, erect or geniculately ascending, slightly flattened, 15–100 cm tall. Basal leaf sheaths strongly keeled, glabrous; leaf blades flat or folded, 5–30 cm, 2–7 mm wide, glabrous, adaxial surface scabrous, apex acuminate; ligule 0.5–1 mm, glabrous or ciliate. Racemes digitate, 5–12, erect or slightly slanting, 2–10 cm, silky, pale brown or tinged pink or purple; rachis scabrous or hispid. Spikelets with 2 or 3 florets, 2-awned; lower glume 1.8–2.2 mm; upper glume 3–4 mm, acuminate; lemma of fertile floret obovate-lanceolate in side view, 2.8–3.5 mm, keel gibbous, conspicuously bearded on upper margins with a spreading tuft of 2.5–3.5 mm silky hairs, margins, keel and flanks silky-ciliate or glabrous; awn 5–15 mm; second floret sterile, oblong, glabrous, awn 4–10 mm; third floret occasionally present, reduced to a small clavate scale, awnless. Fl. and fr. Jun–Oct. 2n = 14, 20, 26, 30, 40.

Annual; culms up to 1 m high, erect or geniculately ascending, occasionally rooting at the lower nodes, glabrous below the inflorescence. Leaf-blades flat, (5-) 10-30 cm long, 2.6 mm wide, tapering at the apex; basal sheaths strongly keeled and often flabellate. Inflorescence of 4-12 digitate, spreading, feathery spikes 2-10 cm long. Spikelets (2-)3-flowered, 2-awned; lower glume 1.5-2.5 mm long; upper glume 2.5-4.5 mm long including the short awn-point if present; lowest lemma obliquely obovate in side view, 254 mm long, pallid or dark, ciliate along the margins, keel and flanks, with a crown of hairs 1.5-4 mm long, the awn 5-15 mm long; callus rounded, ciliate; 2nd lemma slightly projecting from the side of the lowest lemma, oblong, 2-2.5 mm long, glabrous, with an awn 5-12 mm long; 3rd lemma an awnless clavate scale 0.5-1.2 mm long.

Tropics of both hemispheres.

Widely distributed throughout the tropics of both hemispheres.

Gansu, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Jiangsu, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Xizang, Yunnan [Afghanistan, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan; Africa, America, SW Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands].

Distribution: Pakistan (Baluchistan); widely distributed throughout the tropics of both hemispheres.

2900 m

Fl. & Fr. Per: April-November.

Common on stony slopes, steppe, sandy riversides, roadsides, fields, plantations, frequent on walls and roofs; sea level to 3700 m.

Chloris caudata Trinius ex Bunge.