Cynodon dactylon
Poaceae FAMILY

Cynodon dactylon

Cynodon dactylon

Edibility
2/5
Medicinal
3/5

Safety & Hazards

Bermuda grass is reported to be photosensitizing in animals[ 269 Title Handbook of Energy Crops Publication Author Duke. J. Website https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html Publisher - Year 1983 ISBN - Description Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants. ]. Under certain environmental conditions the plant can produce hydrocyanic acid and so is potentially toxic to livestck[ 274 Title Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Publication Author Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Website http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm Publisher Botanical Research Institute, Texas. Year 1999 ISBN 1-889878-01-4 Description An excellent flora, which is also available on-line. ]. The plant is also said to cause contact dermatitis and, with its high production of pollen, can be a major cause of hayfever[ 269 Title Handbook of Energy Crops Publication Author Duke. J. Website https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html Publisher - Year 1983 ISBN - Description Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants. , 274 Title Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Publication Author Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Website http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm Publisher Botanical Research Institute, Texas. Year 1999 ISBN 1-889878-01-4 Description An excellent flora, which is also available on-line. ].

Botanical Description

Cynodon dactylon is a short-lived, prostrate, evergreen perennial grass that creeps along the ground and roots wherever a node touches the ground, quickly forming a dense mat. The erect or ascending culms are generally 5 - 45cm long, occasionally to 130 cm[ 372 Title Flowers of India Publication Author Website http://www.flowersofindia.net/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A wed site of native Indian plants, plus cultivated and naturalized species. It has good quality photos and terse details on more than 3,000 species and cultivars. , 413 Title Global Invasive Species Database Publication Author Website http://www.issg.org/database/welcome/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Very detailed information on almost 400 species (with more being added) of plants that have become weeds in areas outside their native range. ]. The plant has a wide range of uses. Occasionally employed as a food, it is commonly used for a wide variety of medicinal purposes. It is an excellent lawn grass in the tropics, where it can also be used as a ground cover plant and to prevent soil erosion. Bermuda Grass is a fast-growing plant that spreads rapidly to form a dense mat of growth. It is difficult to eradicate and can become a serious weed in cultivated land, affecting crops such as maize, cotton, sugar cane, vineyards and plantation crops[ 269 Title Handbook of Energy Crops Publication Author Duke. J. Website https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html Publisher - Year 1983 ISBN - Description Published only on the Internet, excellent information on a wide range of both temperate and tropical plants. , 305 Title Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk Publication Author Website http://www.hear.org/pier/scientificnames/index.html Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A very good website detailing weed species that have been introduced into the Pacific Islands. , 310 Title Plant Resources of Southeast Asia Publication Author Website http://proseanet.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia. ]. It is listed as a noxious weed.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical
Native RangeOriginally from Africa and S. Asia, it is widely naturalized in the temperate to tropical zones of Europe, Africa, Asia, the Pacific and the Americas.
HabitatSandy shores in southern Britain[ 17 Title Flora of the British Isles. Publication Author Clapham, Tutin and Warburg. Publisher Cambridge University Press Year 1962 ISBN - Description A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures. ]. Along roadsides and in exposed rocky or sandy sites, at elevations up to 2,270 metres[ 413 Title Global Invasive Species Database Publication Author Website http://www.issg.org/database/welcome/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Very detailed information on almost 400 species (with more being added) of plants that have become weeds in areas outside their native range. ]. It sometimes forms dense mats on the upper parts of beaches and near mangrove swamps[ 413 Title Global Invasive Species Database Publication Author Website http://www.issg.org/database/welcome/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Very detailed information on almost 400 species (with more being added) of plants that have become weeds in areas outside their native range. ].