Cynodon Rich. in Pers., Syn. Pl. 1: 85. 1805; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 288. 1897; Bor, Grasses Burma, Ceyl. Ind. Pak. 468. 1960; Sharma & Khosla, Grasses Punj. and Chandigarh 52. 1989; Sun & Phillips, Fl. China @ eFloras.org 22: 492; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 116.

Perennial, rhizomatous or stoloniferous, usually low-growing and sward-forming. Leaf blades linear and flat, sometimes filiform or lanceolate; ligule membranous, often ciliate on upper edge. Inflorescence of 2-8, digitate racemes or spikes borne in 2 or more closely spaced whorls. Racemes/spikes slender, unilateral; rachis flat or terete. Spikelets sessile, imbricate, alternately biseriate, or in pairs, strongly laterally compressed, ovate, awnless, 1-flowered, with or without rachilla extension, disarticulating above glumes. Glumes subequal, shorter than or as long as floret, narrow, herbaceous, generally 2-nerved, rarely upper 3-nerved, persistent or separately deciduous. Lemma ovate in side view, membranous or cartilaginous, boat-shaped, 3-nerved, keeled, keel ciliate, apex entire, awnless. Palea 2-keeled. Stamens 3. Stigmas 2, plumose.

14 species

Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., Syn. Pl. 1: 85. 1805; Hook. f., Fl. Brit. India 7: 288. 1897; Bor, Grasses Burma, Ceyl. Ind. Pak. 469. f. 52. 1960; Sharma & Khosla, Grasses Punj. and Chandigarh 53. 1989; Collett, Fl. Siml., ed. 2: 620. 1921(Reprint 1980); Maheshwari, IIIust. Fl. Delhi f. 260. 1966; Dhaliwal & Sharma, Fl. Kullu Dist. 676. 1999; Kaur & Sharma, Fl. Sirmaur 661. 2004; Singh & Sharma, Fl. Chamba Dist. 770. 2006; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 22: 493; Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 117; Capriola dactylon (L.) O. Ktze., Rev. Gen. Pl. 2: 764. 1891; Chloris cynodon Trin., Gram. Unifl. Sesquifl. 229. 1824; Cynodon occidentalis Willd. ex Steud., Nomencl. Bot., ed. 2, 1: 463. 1840; Digitaria dactylon (L.) Scop., Fl. Carniol., ed. 2, 1: 52. 1771; Panicum dactylon L., Sp. Pl. 1: 58. 1753.

Perennial, stoloniferous, also with slender underground rhizome, sward-forming, spreading by runners and rooting at nodes. Culms slender, erect, prostrate or ascending, 10-40 cm high. Leaf blades linear or lanceolate, flat, acuminate, 2-10 cm x 2-4 mm, glaucous, scaberulous on upper surface and margins, with or without scattered hairs; leaf sheaths tight, glabrous, auricles and throat hairy; ligule a short, ciliolate rim, ca. 0.2-0.3 mm long. Racemes usually 4-6, rarely 2 or 3, digitate, 2-5 cm long, straight or gently curved, stiff, spreading. Spikelets subsessile or pedicelled, unilateral on flat rachis alternately 2-seriate, neither in clusters nor in pairs, overlapping by 1/2-2/3 their length, strongly laterally compressed, ovate, 2-3 mm long, 1-flowered; rachilla produced beyond the floret as a minute bristle. Glumes unequal, usually more than half as long as floret, 1.5-2 mm, lanceolate, often purplish, 1-nerved, acute, keeled, keel scabrid; lower glume slightly shorter than the upper. Lemma obliquely oblong or ovate, subacute, as long as spikelet, keeled (boat-shaped), membranous, 3-nerved, lateral nerves sub-marginal, silky pubescent on keels. Palea nearly as long as lemma, linear oblong, obtuse, 2-nerved, scaberulous on keels. Lodicules 2, minute. Stamens 3; anthers more than 1 mm long. Stigmas 2, plumose. Caryopsis subterete, rarely laterally compressed.

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