Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.

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Photo: Petra Ballings
Maleme Dam Rest Camp, Matobo National Park

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Synonyms:	Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. var. elegans Rendle Cynodon polevansii Stent Panicum dactylon L.
Common names:	Couch grass (English)
Description:	Perennial creeping grass, forming dense ground covering carpets, up to 30 cm high, with a slender underground rhizome and surface stolons. Leaves often short and narrow, 2.5-12 cm long. Culms erect or ascending, up to 40 cm long; racemes 2-6 in a single whorl, 2-5.5 cm long. Spikelets 2-2.6 mm long; superior glume shorter than the spikelet.
Notes:
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Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world.
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Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Literature:	Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 19. Chapano, C. & Mugarisanwa, N.H. (2003). Plants of the Matobo District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 12. Cope, T.A. (1999). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(2) Pages 235 - 236. (Includes a picture). Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 448. (Includes a picture). Isaiah, A.M. & Komi, T. (2015). Grasses in the Botswana National Botanic Garden South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria Page 10. (Includes a picture). Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 34. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 102. Roodt, V. (2015). Grasses & Grazers of Botswana and the surrounding savanna Struik Nature, South Africa Pages 74 - 75. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 133. Siebert, S. & Mössmer, M. (Editors) (2002). SABONET Southern Mozambique Expedition 2001; Provisional Plant Checklist of the Maputo Elephant Reserve (MER) and Licuati Forest Reserve (LFR) SABONET News 7(1) Page 27. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 188. Wild, H. (1955). Common Rhodesian Weeds Government of Rhodesia, Salisbury Page 5. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Cynodon dactylon:

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Flora of Botswana: Cynodon dactylon
Flora of Burundi: Cynodon dactylon
Flora of Caprivi: Cynodon dactylon
Flora of Malawi: Cynodon dactylon
Flora of Mozambique: Cynodon dactylon
Flora of Zambia: Cynodon dactylon
Flora of Zimbabwe: Cynodon dactylon

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Cynodon dactylon
African Plant Database: Cynodon dactylon
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Cynodon dactylon
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Cynodon dactylon
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Cynodon dactylon
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Cynodon dactylon
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Cynodon dactylon
JSTOR Plant Science: Cynodon dactylon
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Cynodon dactylon
Plants of the World Online: Cynodon dactylon
Tropicos: Cynodon dactylon
Wikipedia: Cynodon dactylon