Common name
Florida Grass

Derivation
Cynodon Rich., in C.H.Persoon, Syn. Pl. 1: 85 (1805), nom. cons.; from the Greek kyon (dog) and odous (tooth). From chiendent, the French name for the commonest species.

transvaalensis- from the Transvaal, South Africa.

Published in
Kew Bull. 1921: 281 (1921).

Habit
Perennial, mat forming. Rhizomes elongated. Stolons present. Basal leaf sheaths glabrous. Culms erect or decumbent or prostrate, 4–15 cm tall, 0.2–0.5 mm diam. Ligule a fringed membrane, 0.1–0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades filiform, involute, 1.2–4.7 cm long, 0.5–2 mm wide, glaucous. Leaf-blade surface glabrous or pilose. Leaf-blade apex acute or acuminate.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence digitate, with spicate branches. Spikes 1–3(–4), unilateral, 0.7–1.5 cm long. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis, regular, 2-rowed.

Spikelets
Spikelets appressed, solitary. Fertile spikelets at least 3-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, without rhachilla extension, ovate, laterally compressed, compressed strongly, 2–2.7 mm long, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Glumes
Glumes persistent, similar, subequal in width, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, 0.9–1.3 mm long, equalling upper glume, herbaceous, 1-keeled, 1-nerved. Lower glume lateral nerves absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, 1.1–1.2 mm long, 25–33% of length of adjacent fertile lemma, herbaceous, 1-keeled, 1-nerved. Upper glume lateral nerves absent. Upper glume apex acute.

Florets
Fertile lemma lanceolate or ovate, laterally compressed, 2–2.7 mm long, cartilaginous, wingless, 3-nerved. Lemma midnerve ciliate. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2-nerved. Palea keels eciliate. Anthers 0.7–0.9 mm long, orange. Grain with adherent pericarp.

Continental Distribution:
Africa, Australasia, North America.

Australian Distribution:
New South Wales, Victoria.

New South Wales: Central Coast, Central Tablelands. Victoria: Gippsland Plains.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Chloridoideae: Cynodonteae

Notes
Established on, and possibly escaped from, bowling greens and golf courses in NSW and Vic.; naturalised at least in N.S.W.; indigenous to Transvaal; introduced as a lawn grass to other parts of South Africa and western U.S.A. (where it has escaped in places).