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Digitaria filiformis (L.) Koeler var. filiformis
Shaggy crabgrass

Digitaria filiformis
Copyright by: Jennifer Possley
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Florida 2013

Family: Poaceae

Group: Monocot

Substrate: Terrestrial

Habit: Herb

Perennation: Perennial

Native Range: Eastern and central United States.

Map of select IRC data for peninsular Florida

IRC SOUTH FLORIDA Status: Rare

SOUTH FLORIDA Occurrence: Present

SOUTH FLORIDA Native Status: Native

SOUTH FLORIDA Cultivated Status: Cultivated

Comments: Digitaria villosa, which some authors consider a distinct species of the southeastern United States, the West Indies, Mexico, and Central America, has been applied to this species in South Florida. However, it is possible that Digitaria villosa was or is present in South Florida. Weakley (2022) distinguishes D. villosa by its densely pilose lower sheaths versus the glabrous to sparsely pilose lower sheaths of D. filiformis.

Other data on Digitaria filiformis var. filiformis available from :

Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants
Digitaria filiformis var. filiformis has been found in the following 21 conservation areas :
Occurrence Native Status
A.D. Doug Barnes Park Present Native
Big Cypress National Preserve Present Native
Cayo Costa State Park Present Native
County Line Scrub, Miami-Dade County Present Native
Crandon Park Present Native
Danforth Park Present Native
Dolphin Center and Dolphin Center Addition Present Native
Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park Present Native
Dupuis Reserve Present Native
Everglades National Park Present Native
Florida City Pineland Assumed to be Present Native
Hillsboro Pineland Natural Area Present Native
Jonathan Dickinson State Park Present Native
Juno Dunes Natural Area Present Native
Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area Present Native
Navy Wells Pineland 2 Possibly Extirpated Possibly Extirpated
Ned Glenn Nature Preserve Present Native
Nixon Smiley Pineland Addition Present Native
Savannas Preserve State Park Present Native
Seabranch Preserve State Park Present Native
Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve Present Native

Digitaria filiformis var. filiformis has been found in the following 7 counties :
Occurrence Native Status
Charlotte County Native
Collier County Native
Glades County Native
Lee County Native
Miami-Dade County Native
Monroe County (Mainland) Native
Palm Beach County Native

Digitaria filiformis var. filiformis has been found in the following habitat :
Pine Rockland

All Images:

Digitaria filiformis
Copyright by: Jennifer Possley
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Florida 2013
Digitaria filiformis
Copyright by: Jennifer Possley
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Florida 2013
Digitaria filiformis
Copyright by: Jennifer Possley
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Florida 2013
Digitaria filiformis
Copyright by: Grasses, Sedges and Rushes of Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Florida website.
Digitaria filiformis
Copyright by: Grasses, Sedges and Rushes of Palm Beach and Martin Counties, Florida website.