Cynodon dactylon, known as Bermudagrass, Dhoob, dūrvā grass, ethana grass,dubo, dog's tooth grass, Bahama grass, devil's grass, couch grass, Indian doab, arugampul, grama, wiregrass and scutch grass, is a grass that is native to most of the eastern hemisphere. Although it is not native to Bermuda, it is an abundant invasive species there. In Bermuda it has been known as crab grass.
Description
The blades are a grey-green colour and are short, usually long with rough edges. The erect stems can grow tall. The stems are slightly flattened, often 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 long. It has a deep root system; in drought situations with penetrable soil, the root system can grow to over deep, though most of the root mass is less than 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 with optimum growth between ; in winter, 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 climatesall over the world between about 30° S and 30° N latitude, and that get between of rainfall a year. It is also found in the U.S., mostly in the southern half of the country and in warm climates. Detailed study using experimental animals exhibited anti-stress, adaptogenic activities and improved male fertility.
Cultivars
This list is not all inclusive. Hundreds of cultivars have been created specifically for environmental tolerance and stakeholder requirements. New cultivars are released yearly.
Uses
Religious
In India, commonly known as "durva" or dūrvāyugma, this grass is used in the Ayurveda system of medicine. In Hinduism, it is considered important in the worship of Lord Ganesha. It has been a part of Hindu rituals since Vedic times. A unique festival, called Durva Ashtami, dedicated to the grass is celebrated on the 8th day of Shukla Paksha of Bhadra month of the Hindu calendar. This grass is a Yoruba herb used for Esu or Elegba in the Ifa Orisa System.
Medicinal value
Cynodon dactylon has shown significant effects against intestinal helminth infections in rodents Yadav and Nath: Intercult Ethnopharmacol, 6).
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 heat and drought tolerance enable it to survive where few other grasses do. This combination makes it a frequent choice for golf courses in the southern and southeastern U.S. 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.
Ecology
Invasive species
It is a highly aggressive invasive species, crowding out most other grasses and invading other habitats, and has become a hard-to-eradicate weed in some areas. 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, 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, produces cyanide under certain conditions, and has been implicated in several livestock deaths.
