Southern Crabgrass (Digitaria Cilaris)

Poaceae (Grass Family) 

Group: Monocot (Grass)

Tufted or prostrate annual grass native of Eurasia, commonly found in cultivated fields, landscapes, turfs, disturbed sites, and non-crop areas.

Seedling leaf blades are smooth with no ligule and rolled in a bud. Leaf sheath is hairy.

Leaf blade of mature plants are flat, linear, smooth and minutely rough to touch. Margins are rough to touch. Ligule is absent and the sheath is open with very dense stiff hairs that can prick the skin. It is the only Echinochloa with hairs on the lower leaf sheath.

Stem is erect or ascending, somewhat flattened, bent at nodes, 3 to 6-1/2 feet tall, often rooting on lower nodes when growing in wet areas or water.

Flower or seed head is a panicle 5 to 12 inches long, large, dense, branched, loosely erect to slightly drooping, open, with long stiff hairs or awns. Spikelets are relatively narrow and bristly.

Roots are fibrous. 

Propagation is by seed.