Cynodon

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Genus of flowering plants in the grass family Poaceae

title: "Cynodon" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["chloridoideae", "lawn-grasses", "poaceae-genera"] description: "Genus of flowering plants in the grass family Poaceae" topic_path: "law" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cynodon" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Genus of flowering plants in the grass family Poaceae ::

|name = Bermuda grass |image = Cynodon dactylon.jpg |image_caption = Cynodon dactylon |display_parents = 3 |taxon = Cynodon |authority = Rich. in Pers. 1805, not Brid. 1819 (a moss in family Ditrichaceae) |type_species_authority = (L.) Pers. |type_species = Cynodon dactylon |synonyms_ref = |synonyms = |Brachyachne|(Benth.) Stapf |Capriola|Adans. |Dactilon|Vill. |Dactylon|Roem. & Schult., pro syn. |Dactylus|Asch., not validly publ. |Fibichia|Koeler

Cynodon, from Ancient Greek κύων (kúōn), meaning "dog", and ὀδούς (odoús), meaning "tooth", is a genus of plants in the grass family. It is native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Old World, as well as being cultivated and naturalized in the New World and on many oceanic islands.

Taxonomy

The genus name comes from Greek words meaning "dog-tooth". The genus as a whole as well as its species are commonly known as Bermuda grass or dog's tooth grass.

; Species

; Formerly included Several species now considered better suited to other genera, namely Arundo, Bouteloua, Chloris, Cortaderia, Ctenium, Digitaria, Diplachne, Eleusine, Enteropogon, Eragrostis, Eustachys, Gynerium, Leptochloa, Molinia, Muhlenbergia, Phragmites, Poa, Spartina, Tridens, and Trigonochloa.

Cultivation and uses

Some species, most commonly C. dactylon, are grown as lawn grasses in warm temperate regions, such as the Sunbelt area of the United States where they are valued for their drought tolerance compared to most other lawn grasses. Propagation is by rhizomes, stolons, or seeds. In some cases it is considered to be a weed; it spreads through lawns and flower beds, where it can be difficult to kill with herbicides without damaging other grasses or plants. It is difficult to pull out because the rhizomes and stolons break readily, and then re-grow.

It is also noted for its common use on the surface of greens on golf courses, as well as football and baseball playing fields.

Recent news reports claim that a Bermuda-derived F1 hybrid called Tifton 85 suddenly started producing cyanide and killed a cattle herd in Texas, USA.

References

References

  1. [https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/234870#page/97/mode/1up Richard, Louis Claude Marie, in Persoon, Christiaan Hendrik. 1805. Synopsis Plantarum 1: 85]
  2. "''Cynodon'' Rich..".
  3. [http://bonap.net/NAPA/TaxonMaps/Genus/County/Cynodon Biota of North America Program 2013 county distribution maps]
  4. [http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=451328 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families]
  5. CBS News. (June 23, 2012). "Grass linked to Texas cattle deaths". CBS News.
  6. "TIFTON 85 BERMUDAGRASS". University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
  7. "Nitrates and Prussic Acid in Forages". Texas A&M University System.

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chloridoideaelawn-grassespoaceae-genera