Cynodon dactylon

Cynodon dactylon, commonly known as Bermuda grass, also known as couch grass in Australia and New Zealand, is a grass found worldwide. It is native to Europe, Africa, Australia and much of Asia. It has been introduced to the Americas. Contrary to its common name, it is not native to Bermuda and is in fact an abundant invasive species there. In Bermuda it has been known as "crab grass" (also a name for Digitaria sanguinalis). Other names are Dhoob, dūrvā grass, ethana grass, dubo, dog grass, dog's tooth grass, Bahama grass, crab grass, devil's grass, couch grass, Indian doab, arugampul, grama, wiregrass and scutch grass.

Hybrid species of Cynodon dactylon have been produced known as Cynodon dactylon x transvaalensis. These are Interspecific hybrids from cross-pollination of plants of different species. Vegetatively propagated Bermuda/couch hybrid varieties are developed by a selection of superior plants from established seeded or vegetatively propagated plantings. The branded varieties are primarily known as triploids, which have 3 sets of chromosomes.

Description

File:Cynodon dactylon.jpg

Growing in Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park on the Island of Hawai'i

The blades are a grey-green colour and are short, usually Template:Convert long with rough edges. The erect stems can grow Template:Convert tall. The stems are slightly flattened, often white or green, and occasionally tinged purple in colour.

The seed heads are produced in a cluster of two to six spikes together at the top of the stem, each spike Template:Convert long.

It has a deep root system; in drought situations with penetrable soil, the root system can grow to over Template:Convert deep, though most of the root mass is less than Template:Convert under the surface. The grass creeps along the ground with its stolons, and roots wherever a node touches the ground, forming a dense mat. C. dactylon reproduces through seeds, stolons, and rhizomes. Growth begins at temperatures above Template:Convert with optimum growth between Template:Convert; in winter or in the dry season, the grass becomes dormant and turns brown. Growth is promoted by full sun and retarded by full shade, e.g., close to tree trunks.

Cultivation

Cynodon dactylon is widely cultivated in warm climates all over the world between about 30° S and 30° N latitude, and that get between Template:Convert of rainfall a year (or less, if irrigation is available). For example, in the United States, it is grown mostly in the southern half of the country.

File:Tiger striping grass.png

Cultivated Bermuda grass with "tiger striping", caused by Rayleigh–Bénard convection during the first frosts of the fall. The frost regions turn brown after several days and the frost-free regions remain green. The spatial scale of the pattern is ~20 cm.

Cultivars

Hundreds of cultivars have been created specifically for environmental tolerance and stakeholder requirements. New cultivars are released yearly.

Uses

Religious

Commonly known as "durva" or dūrvāyugma in India, this grass is used in the Ayurveda system of medicine. Performing a rite called "the consecration of Rudra (Sanskrit Rudrabhisheka) described in the Purāṇas while offering durva 11 times bestows long life. In Hinduism, it is considered important in the worship of Lord Ganesha. A clump of 21 shoots of this grass is usually offered during puja (worship). It has been a part of Hindu rituals since Vedic times. A unique festival called Durga Ashtami, dedicated to this grass, is celebrated on the eighth day of Shukla Paksha of Bhadra month of the Hindu calendar.

It is known as "Arugampull" in Tamil, "Garikēhullu in Kannada and "Karuka" in Malayalam and is part of the Dashapushpam (Ten sacred flowers) in Kerala.

Groom tying a dubo garland on his bride's neck, in a Nepalese Khas Hindu wedding.

Groom tying a dubo garland around the bride's neck in a Nepalese Hindu wedding

In Nepal, the grass is known as "dubo" and is used by the Hindus. According to Nepalese Hindus, the grass symbolises long life. The grass is an essential item for the Naga Panchami festival as well as the Gaura festival. In a Nepalese Hindu wedding, a garland made of this grass is worn by both bride and groom.

This grass is a Yoruba herb used for Esu or Elegba in the Ifá system of orishas.

Medicinal value

The rhizomes are reported to act as a diuretic in humans and the grass juice can act as an astringent.

It has been observed that Cynodon dactylon may be selectively eaten by dogs to swiftly induce vomiting when they have gastrointestinal problems. The effect may be due to irritation caused by bristles on the leaf margin.

Other

It is fast-growing and tough, making it popular and useful for sports fields, as when damaged it will recover quickly. It is a highly desirable turf grass in warm temperate climates, particularly for those regions where its tolerance to heat and drought enable it to survive where few other grasses do. This combination makes it a frequent choice for golf courses in the southern and southeastern United States and South Africa. It has a relatively coarse-bladed form with numerous cultivars selected for different turf requirements.

Bermuda grass has been cultivated in saline soils in California's Central Valley, which are too salt-damaged to support agricultural crops; it was successfully irrigated with saline water and used to graze cattle.

Professional sports

National Football League

The following National Football League teams use it as the playing surface in their home stadiums:

• Arizona Cardinals (State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona) (Tifway 419 Bermuda grass)
• Baltimore Ravens (M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore) (Tahoma 31 Bermuda grass)
• Jacksonville Jaguars (EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Florida) (Tifway 419 Bermuda grass)
• Kansas City Chiefs (Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri) (NorthBridge Bermuda grass)
• Las Vegas Raiders (Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada)
• Miami Dolphins (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami) (Tifway 419 Bermuda grass)
• San Francisco 49ers (Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California) (Tifway 419 Bermuda grass)
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida) (Tifway 419 Bermuda grass)
• Washington Commanders (Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland) (Latitude 36 Bermuda grass)

Major League Baseball

The following Major League Baseball teams use it as the playing surface in their home stadiums:

• Los Angeles Angels (Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California) (Tifway 419 Bermuda grass)
• Los Angeles Dodgers (Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles) (Tahoma 31 Bermuda grass)
• Tampa Bay Rays (George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida (Celebration Bermuda grass)
• Sacramento Athletics (Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California)
• San Diego Padres (Petco Park in San Diego) (Bandera Bermuda Grass)

Ecology

File:Cynodon dactylon at Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden.jpg

Cynodon dactylon (foreground, the background grass is a separate species) at Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden

File:Bermuda Grass growing out of a curb.jpg

Invasive nature of cynodon dactylon as it grows out of a small hole in a concrete curb

Invasive species

It can be an highly aggressive invasive species, crowding out most other grasses and invading other habitats, and has become a hard-to-eradicate weed in some areas (it can be controlled somewhat with Triclopyr, Mesotrione, Fluazifop-P-butyl, and Glyphosate). This weedy nature leads some gardeners to give it the name of "devil grass". Bermuda grass is incredibly difficult to control in flower beds and most herbicides do not work. However, Ornamec, Ornamec 170, Turflon ester (tricyclopyr), and Imazapyr have shown some effectiveness. All of these items are difficult to find in retail stores, as they are primarily marketed to professional landscapers.

The hybrid variety Tifton 85, like some other grasses (e.g. sorghum), produces cyanide under certain conditions, and has been implicated in several livestock deaths.

References

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External links

• FAO.org factsheet: Cynodon dactylon Template:Webarchive
• Cim Antalya factsheet: Bermuda Çim