Digitaria ischaemum (fingergrass, twitchgrass)
description: summer annual
place of origin: Europe
urban habitat: drought tolerant, common in trampled lawns, highway banks and median strips, small pavement openings and sidewalk cracks.
ecological function: disturbance-adapted colonizer of bare ground; tolerant of contaminated and compacted soil.
history: Digitaria ischaemum was once used as a forage grass in the south where cool-season grasses did not grow well. A decoction of the plant has been used for treatment of gonorrhea, as remedy for cataracts, debility, and to induce vomiting.
SITES:
![](http://www.umbc.edu/cazabon/mobile/thumbs/uncult11.07.22_0234.jpg)
description: summer annual
place of origin: Europe
urban habitat: drought tolerant, common in trampled lawns, highway banks and median strips, small pavement openings and sidewalk cracks.
ecological function: disturbance-adapted colonizer of bare ground; tolerant of contaminated and compacted soil.
history: Digitaria ischaemum was once used as a forage grass in the south where cool-season grasses did not grow well. A decoction of the plant has been used for treatment of gonorrhea, as remedy for cataracts, debility, and to induce vomiting.
SITES:
![](http://www.umbc.edu/cazabon/mobile/thumbs/uncult10.06.25_804.jpg)
![](http://www.umbc.edu/cazabon/mobile/thumbs/uncult10.07.22_2084.jpg)
![](http://www.umbc.edu/cazabon/mobile/thumbs/uncult10.10.11_2311.jpg)
![](http://www.umbc.edu/cazabon/mobile/thumbs/uncult11.07.22_0234.jpg)