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Cynodon dactylon

Authority	(L.) Pers.
Family	Liliopsida:Commelinidae:Cyperales:Gramineae
Synonyms
Common names	Bermuda grass, came de niño, chepica brave, couch grass, devilgrass, dhoub grass, durba, gramilla blanca, green couch, griming, hierba-fina, kabuta, khabbal ghass, kweekgras, pate de perdiz, tigriston, wiregrass
Editor
Ecocrop code	848

Notes
BRIEF DESCRIPTION A creeping, spreading, sod-forming, leafy grass reaching a height of 6-90 cm. Stolons may grow 50-150 cm during the summer. USES Used as pasture, hay and lawn grass. It is very palatable when young and it is a good soil binder. KILLING T Temperatures of -2 to -3°C usually kill the plant back to the ground, but it normally recover fron the underground rhizomes in the spring. GROWING PERIOD Long-lived warm-season perennial. COMMON NAMES Bermuda grass, Couch grass, Green couch, Kabuta, Dhoub grass, Bahama grass, Quick grass, Chepica brava, Cama de nino, Pata de perdiz, Gramilla blanca, Hierba-fina, Grinting, Tigriston, Star grass, Devilgrass, Creeping finger grass, Wire grass, Bahmas grass, Hariah grass, Scutch grass, Gros chiendent, Chiendent pied de poule, Herbe des Bermudes, Adjezmir, Endjil, Kezmir, Nedjib, Zabak, Azezmir, Nagela, Nagil, Nagila, Najem, Negem, Nejem, Ndgil, Nejzeel, Nejzim, Nigeel, Nisheel takabalt, Moddeid, Meddaad, Motteit, Shirsh-un-unjil, Al-nagil, Al-thayel, Irq an-najil, Najin, Najir, Rashshad, Rishad, Rashad, Thayyil, Najeel, Nigil, Lalamne t'ena, Burtit, Difrat, Domar, Harfo, Hrari, Ejem, Olaimoruwai. FURTHER INF Scientific synonyms: C. glabratus, C. polevansii, Panicum dactylon. (Skerman p 306; the majority of tropical African plants previously thought to belong to C. dactylon are in fact either C. nlemfuensis or C. aethiopicus, both stoloniferrous perennials without underground rhizomes, whereas rhizomatous C. dactylon occurs mainly in the subtropics and in the warm temperate countries). Bermuda grass is probably native to the sandy shores of southwestern England. It can in the northern hemisphere survive as fare north as 50°N and it can be found at elevations between sea level and up to 4000 m. It is very drought-resistant and can withstand heavy grazing. It is common in grassland, lawns and pasture and can become a weed on cultivated land. Flowering takes place at day-length at 13 hours or above.
Sources
Grassland Index Skerman P 1990 pp 310-315 [USE, LIMIT, TEMP, KTMP, RAIN, DRA, TEXT, FER, SAL, PHO, LIG] Rehm S 1991 pp 408 [DRA, USE, LIMIT] Duke J 1975 pp 14 [PH, RAIN, TEMP] Duke J 1979 pp 94 [PH, RAIN, TEMP] Roecklein J 1987 pp 70 [USE, TEXT, LIG] Heath M 1985 pp 247-254 [TEMP, KTMP, DRA, FER, TEXT, PH, FER] Bogdan A 1977 pp 92-94 [PH, SAL, DRA] Kernick M 1978 pp 125-142 [TEMP, KTMP, TEXT, RAIN, DRA, FER, DEP, PH, SAL, USE] Aronson J 1989 pp 68 Bryant P 1973 pp 316-317 [TEMP, KTMP, DRA] Mannetje L 1992 pp 100-102 [TEMP, KTMP, DRA, TEXT, PH, FER] Ott P 1986 pp 36-47 [LIMITS, KTMP, TEMP, PHO] Ahlgreen G 1956 pp 233-239 [TEXT, FER, DRA, PH, SAL, TEMP, USE]