Cynodon aethiopicus

Clayton & J.R. Harlan
Common names: Ethiopian dogstooth grass
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 25. Treatment on page 240.

Plants stoloniferous, not rhizomatous; stolons stout, woody, lying flat on the ground. Culms 25-100 cm tall, 2-6 mm thick, becoming woody. Sheaths glabrous; ligules about 0.3 mm, membranous, ciliolate; blades 3-25 cm long, 3-7 mm wide, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, glaucous. Panicles with 4-10 (20) branches; branches 3.5-7 cm, in (1) 2-5 whorls, stiff, usually red or purple, axes triquetrous. Spikelets 2-3 mm. Glumes equaling to slightly exceeding the florets; lower glumes 2-2.2 mm; upper glumes 1.7-2.6 mm; lemmas 2.1-2.6 mm, keels not winged, glabrous or with a few scattered hairs. 2n =18, 36.

Distribution

Pacific Islands (Hawaii), Tex.

Discussion

Cynodon aethiopicus is native to the East African rift. It is now established along the canal bank in the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in Texas, and is expected to spread. The cultivar 'McCaleb' has been released as a forage grass for use in Florida.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"decumbent" is not a number.

... more about "Cynodon aethiopicus"
muticous +  and mucronate +
Mary E. Barkworth +
Clayton & J.R. Harlan +
1 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
multiple +, , +  and single +
triquetrous +
keeled +  and rounded +
pseudopetiolate +  and branching +
not fused +
intravaginal +, extravaginal +, branching +  and basal +
swelling +
membranous +
disarticulating +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (25 cm250 mm <br />0.25 m <br />) +
glaucous +, pubescent +  and glabrous +
involute +  and convolute +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
purple +  and red +
spikelike +
3.5 cm35 mm <br />0.035 m <br /> (7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br />) +
triangular +  and dome--shaped +
sometimes longer +
membranous +
Ethiopian dogstooth grass +
25 cm250 mm <br />0.25 m <br /> (100 cm1,000 mm <br />1 m <br />) +
ascending +  and erect +
4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br /> (100 cm1,000 mm <br />1 m <br />) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
Pacific Islands (Hawaii) +  and Tex. +
not waisted +
capillary +
pistillate +  and staminate +
sometimes longer +
bisexual +  and fertile +
round +  and compressed +
reduced +
shorter or longer +
subtending +
muticous +  and keeled +
membranous +
uncinate +
subdigitate +  and digitate +
paniculate +  and racemose +
hollow +  and solid +
with a few scattered hairs +  and glabrous +
not absent +
0.21 cm2.1 mm <br />0.0021 m <br /> (0.26 cm2.6 mm <br />0.0026 m <br />) +
membranous +  and cartilaginous +
sometimes longer +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (?) +
membranous +
inconspicuous +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.22 cm2.2 mm <br />0.0022 m <br />) +
concealed +  and prominent +
2 +  and 1 +
2-keeled +
dry +  and fleshy +
spikelike +
1 +  and 60 +
compressed +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
1 +  and 3 +
compound +  and simple +
Gramineae +
Cynodon aethiopicus +
species +
membranous +
0.17 cm1.7 mm <br />0.0017 m <br /> (0.26 cm2.6 mm <br />0.0026 m <br />) +
7 (?) +  and 13 (?) +
not rhizomatous +  and stoloniferous +
aquatic +  and terrestrial +
dioecious +, monoecious +  and synoecious +