Home | > | List of families | > | Poaceae | > | Cynodon | > | dactylon |
Synonyms: |
Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. var. elegans Rendle Cynodon polevansii Stent Panicum dactylon L. |
Common names: | Couch grass (English) |
Frequency: | |
Status: | Native |
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: | |
Derivation of specific name: | |
Habitat: | Colonizing nitrogen-rich habitats such as farms, floodplains termitaria and disturbed ground. |
Altitude range: (metres) | Up to 1800 m |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | Throughout the tropical and warm temperate regions of the world. |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,W,C,E,S |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
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). |
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