Description:

• Perennial, stoloniferous or rhizomatous, often mat-forming
• Leaf blade linear, flat or folded; ligule a fringed membrane or a fringe of hairs
• Inflorescence of 1-5 closely spaced 1-sided spikes, in pairs, digitate or subdigitate; rachis flattened; spikelets solitary, sessile
• Spikelet 2.0-3.5 mm long, strongly laterally compressed, disarticulating above glumes; glumes ± equal to unequal, similar, narrow, shorter than or rarely as long as spikelet, acute, keeled, sometimes scabrid on keel, awnless, 1-nerved, rarely upper glume 3-nerved
• Floret 1, bisexual, with or without a rachilla extension, rarely bearing a second floret which is usually small and reduced, rarely well developed; lemma similar to firmer in texture to glumes, obtuse, 1-4-nerved, keeled, keel winged or wingless, hairy on keel and often on margins, flanks usually glabrous, awnless; callus glabrous; palea as long as or shorter than lemma, obtuse or subacute, membranous, 2-keeled
• Lodicules 2, minute, obovate-cuneate, glabrous
• Stamens 3
• Ovary glabrous; styles distinct, plumose above
• Caryopsis ellipsoid, laterally compressed
• x = 9, 10 (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

• Cynodon Rich.
  • Richard: 85 (1805) name conserved
  • Stapf: 633 (1900)
  • Stent: 288 (1924)
  • Stent: 274 (1927)
  • Chippindall: 199 (1955)
  • Clayton & Harlan: 185 (1970)
  • De Wet & Harlan: 565 (1970)
  • De Wet & Harlan: 53 (1971)
  • Clayton: 316 (1974)
  • Clayton & Renvoize: 243 (1986)
  • Gibbs Russell et al.: 95 (1990)
  • Watson & Dallwitz: 281 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Species ± 10, warm climates of both hemispheres
• Southern Africa: Species 8, widespread, several selected strains used for lawns and sports grounds