Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.

by Cara Meeker, Native Plants Class 2002
Common Name: Bermuda grass
Family: Poaceae
Synonymy: n/a
Etymology: The specific epithet dactylon is derived from the greek word “daktylos”, which means “a finger”. This is in reference to the finger-like branches produced by this grass (5).

Identification
Growth Form: Bermuda grass has long, lateral, creeping stolons with frequent stalks, usually not taller than 20 cm (2,6). It is widespread and mat forming across a given area.
Roots: The root system is made up of deep or shallow rhizomes that spread laterally (1). Stolons root themselves at the nodes as they spread across the ground (7).
Stems: Stems are both lateral (stolons) and upright (flowering stalks).
Leaves: They are smooth, with a conspicuous ring of white hairs where the blade meets the sheath (7). Leaves are usually less than 6 cm long and are lanceolate (2).
Inflorescence/flowers: The upright stems flower, creating 3-7 spike-like branches whorled at the top of the stem (like fingers of a hand). They are purplish in color and are soft to the touch. Each spike has two rows of sessile spikelets (6). The seeds that are produced aid in the spread of this grass, but rhizome and stolon growth are the dominant mode of spreading.
Fruit:
Similar species:

Ecology
Life history: Bermuda grass is a long-lived perennial.
Native/Introduced: Introduced from Africa (6).
Photosythetic pathway:
Phenology: Bermuda grass flowers and seeds mainly in the summer, but can flower from May through November (4).
Distribution: This grass has been designated a noxious weed by the United States government, and can be found in several biotic community types in almost every state. It is not found in the upper Midwest and New England however, probably due to its inability to withstand prolonged freezing temperatures. Bermuda grass is also found below 6000 ft for the same reason of temperature limitation (1,4).

Uses
Commercial: Bermuda grass was originally introduced and cultivated for use as a lawn material and cattle forage. It is still widely used in the Southwest for both lawns and forage, and is also used for erosion control along streambeds (4).
Ethnobotanical: Used as a diuretic (3).

References
1. Gould, F.W. 1951. Grasses of the Southwestern United States. University of Arizona Press. Tucson, USA.

2. Hickman, J. ed. 1993. Jepsen Manual. University of California Press, Berkeley. California, USA.

3. Hogan, P., Huisinga, K. 1999. An Annotated Catalog of the Native and Naturalized Flora of Arizona. Arizona Ethnobotanical Research Association. AZ, USA.

4. USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service; Plant Materials Project. plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_cyda.pdf

5. Weber, W.A., Wittman, R.C. 1996. Colorado Flora: Eastern Slope. University Press of Colorado. Colorado, USA.

6. Whitson, T.D., et al. 1992. Weeds of the West. The Western Society of Weed Science. California, USA.

7. Wyoming Weed and Pest Council. Weed Handbook Series 1-55.