Digitaria

Digitaria is a genus of grasses, family Poaceae, native to tropical and warm temperate regions though able to occur in subtropical and cooler temperate regions as well, commonly called crabgrass, finger-grass or fonio. The genus comprises slender, monocotyledonous annual and perennial lawn, pasture and forage plants, distinguished by finger-like flowering structures that give the genus its Latin name, from the word for finger. Fonio species, Digitaria exilis and Digitaria iburua, have served as staple crops in African regions, with their seeds processed into flour, porridge or fermented beverages, while many other Digitaria species are considered problematic weeds in North American lawns and gardens.