Cynodon Dactylon (L.) Pers. - National Parks Board

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Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.

Family Name:	Poaceae (Gramineae)
Synonyms:	Panicum dactylon L., Cynodon glabratus
Common Name:	Bermuda Grass, Bahama Grass, Kweek, Doob, Couch, Star Grass, Bermuda Tiff Dwarf, Rumput Minyak, 狗牙根, 百慕达草

Full Sun

Moderate Water

Butterfly Host Plant

Coastal Plant

Suitable for Roadsides

Suitable for Rooftops

Ornamental Leaves

Drought Tolerant

Grass or Grass-like Plant

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• Name
• Classifications and Characteristics
• Biogeography
• Description and Ethnobotany
• Landscaping Features
• Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal
• Plant Care and Propagation
• Foliar
• Floral (Angiosperm)
• Fruit, Seed and Spore
• Image Repository
• Others

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Name

Family Name
Genus Epithet
Species Epithet
Name Authority
Name Status (botanical)
Synonyms
Common Names
Comments

Classifications and Characteristics

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Monocotyledon)
Plant Growth Form	Grass or Grass-like Plant (Short Grass (Poaceae))
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Mode of Nutrition	Autotrophic
Plant Shape	Grassy

Biogeography

Native Distribution	Pantropical
Native Habitat	Terrestrial (Disturbed Area / Open Ground), Shoreline (Sandy Beach)
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal

Local Conservation Status

Non-native (Spontaneous (Naturalised))

Description and Ethnobotany

Growth Form	It is a herb that consists of creeping, well-developed wiry stolons (horizontal stem growing at ground level) from which arise, roots and up to 40 cm tall flowering stems.
Foliage	Its erect, flowering stem bears leaves in two rows. Its leaves consist of a sheath, and leaf blades that are blue-green, linear-acute, and 5–120 by 1–4 mm.
Flowers	Its flowering shoot consist of 3–6 horizontally spreading branches that are each up to 7 cm long, with compact flower clusters (spikelets) borne along the length. Its stalkless, alternate spikelets are laterally flattened, often purplish, 2.4–2.5 by 1.3–1.9 mm, and contain one tiny flower (floret) each.

Fruit	Its fruit is 1 mm long.
Habitat	It grows in lawns, open grasslands, on seashores, and sandy soil.
Associated Fauna	It is the preferred local food plant for caterpillars of the butterfly, the common five ring (Ypthima baldus newboldi). It is also the preferred local food plant for caterpillars of the moths, Agrotis biconica, the black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon), Lamprosema asaphialis, Salebria inhonesta, the dark mottled willow or grass lawn armyworm (Spodoptera cilium), and the African armyworm (Spodoptera exempta).
Cultivation	It can be propagated by splitting the clumps or by seeds.
Etymology	Greek kyon, a dog; Greek odous, a tooth, referring to the tooth-shaped buds of the stolons; Latin dactylon, finger, referring to the finger-like arrangement of its flowering shoots
Ethnobotanical Uses	Medicinal: Cynodin, hydrocyanic acid, and triticin are said to be found in the plant. It is also employed in medicine against various ailments and diseases.Others: The plant is used as forage grass for feeding livestock, especially in wetter areas where it is more abundant.

Landscaping Features

Landscaping	Bermuda is widely adapted to soils and climate. It is often selected for use on sport lawn and golf courses due to its drought & flood tolerance, heat tolerance and traffic tolerance.
Desirable Plant Features	Ornamental Foliage
Landscape Uses	Suitable for Roadsides, Parks & Gardens, Small Gardens, Coastal, Beachfront / Shoreline, Suitable for Rooftops, Groundcover, Turf / Lawn / Sports Field

Fauna, Pollination and Dispersal

Fauna Pollination Dispersal Associated Fauna	Butterfly Host Plant, Caterpillar Moth Food Plant
Pollination Method(s)	Abiotic
Seed or Spore Dispersal	Abiotic

Plant Care and Propagation

Light Preference	Full Sun, [Remarks] (It will dies out under medium to dense shade.)
Water Preference	Moderate Water
Rootzone Tolerance	Drought Tolerant, Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Saline Soils / Salt Spray, Poor Infertile Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils, Easy to Grow

Planting Remarks	Vegetative Methods: Close turfing: irregular, small sod pieces placed together Open turfing: 50-70mm diameter rooted pieces planed on 300mm centers. Close and open turfing result in irregular turf surface, requiring at least 2 post-plant topdressing and rollings. Sodding:uniformly thick, cut turf sheets or rolls placed together. Roll after planting. Results in high quality, level turf surface. Seeding: 5-8kg live seed/1000 square meters. Post seeding mulch required.
Transplanting Tolerance	Good
Pruning	Streetscape: Require mowing every 14-21 days to maintain the height of 45-60mm. Parks: Require mowing every 7-12 days to maintain the height of 25-40. Event and sports lawns: Require mowing every 6-8 days to maintain the height of 20-30cm.
Fertilizing	Use turf-grass type fertilizer with basic N-P-K ratio of 4-1-2 or 4-1-1.Properly calibrate spreader or sprayer to apply above rates on the basis of N(nitrogen). (Ex. urea is 45% N, therefore 1kg N = 2,2kg urea) Streetscape: 0.1 - 0.2 kg of N per 100 square meters per month. Parks: 0.3 - 0.4 kg of N per 100 square meters per month. Event and sports lawns: 0.5 - 0.7kg of N per 100 square meters per month.
Propagation Method	Seed, Stolon / Runner

Foliar

Foliage Retention	Evergreen
Mature Foliage Colour(s)	Green
Mature Foliage Texture(s)	Smooth

Foliar Type	Simple / Unifoliate
Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage (Linear)
Foliar Venation	Parallel
Foliar Margin	Entire
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio	2.0 (Turfgrass)

Floral (Angiosperm)

Flower & Plant Sexuality	Bisexual Flowers
Flower Colour(s)	Purple
Flower Grouping	Cluster / Inflorescence

Fruit, Seed and Spore

Fruit Classification	Simple Fruit
Fruit Type	Indehiscent Dry Fruit , Caryopsis / Grain

Image Repository

Images

Others

Master ID	624
Species ID	1919
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.

Species record last updated on: 20 August 2022. Share

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