116 MISC. PUBLICATION 243, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
Open ground and waste places. A common weed in warm coun- 
tries. Introduced in America. To be found on all the West Indian 
islands. In Cuba called ‘‘pata de gallina.” 
50. CYNODON L. Rich.; Pers., Syn. Pl. 1: 85. 1805 
(Capriola Adans., Fam. Pl. 2: 31,532. 1763. Ineffectively published) 
Spikelets, 1-flowered, awnless, sessile in two rows along one side of 
a slender continuous rachis, the rachilla disarticulating above the 
glumes and prolonged behind the palea as a slender naked bristle, 
this sometimes bearing a rudimentary lemma; glumes narrow, acumi- 
nate, l-nerved, about equal, shorter than the floret; lemma strongly 
compressed, pubescent on the keel, firm, 3-nerved, the lateral nerves 
close to the margins. Perennials with creeping stolons or rhizomes, 
short blades, and several slender digitate spikes. 
1. Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers., Syn. Pl. 1: 85. 1805. 
BERMUDA GRASS. 
Panicum dactylon L., Sp. Pl. 58. 1753. Europe. 
Capriola dactylon Kuntze, Rev. Gen. Pl. 2: 764. 1891. 
Culms low, extensively creeping, wiry, compressed, the flowering 
shoots 10 to 30 em tall, or in moist shady places 50 cm tall or even 
more; blades on the stolons short and spreiding, flat, the sheath 
pilose at the throat; spikes usually 3 to 5, digitate, slender, arcuate- 
spreading, 2.5 to 5 cm long; spikelets about 2 mm long, the lemma 
longer than the glumes (fig. 74). 
Common in open, rather dry ground in the warmer parts of both 
hemispheres; apparently introduced in America. To be found on 
probably all the islands of the West Indies. A common and well- 
known pasture grass, called Bermuda grass in the United States and 
Bahama grass in the English West Indies. In the Spanish islands it 
is called “‘grama’’, “‘hierba fina’’, and ‘‘hierba del prado’’, and because 
of its digitate spikes, “pata de gallina.”’” In Antiguaitis called “deyil’s 
grass’; in Haiti called chiendent. Bermuda grass is commonly used 
for lawns and pasture throughout the West Indies. 
51. SPARTINA Schreb.; Gmel., Syst. Nat. ed. 13. 2: 123. 1791 
CoRDGRASS 
Spikelets, 1-flowered, much flattened laterally, sessile and usually 
closely imbricate, on one side of a continuous rachis, disarticulating 
below the glumes, the rachilla not produced beyond the floret; glumes 
keeled, 1-nerved, acute or short-awned, the first shorter, the second 
often exceeding the lemma; lemma firm, keeled, the lateral nerves 
obscure, narrowed to a rather obtuse point; palea 2-nerved, keeled 
and flattened, the keel between or at one side of the nerves. Stout 
perennials with tough leaves and 2 to many spikes racemose on a 
main axis. 
Spikes ascending or somewhat spreading; spikelets closely imbricate; second 
glume very ‘scabrous on the*keel pry" ea) ieee ae 1% Ss.’ PATENS. 
Spikes appressed in a narrow close inflorescence; spikelets imbricate only at the 
tip; second glume nearly glabrous. _..-~_—._ +. _--s=.+ 2. S. BRASILIENSIS. 
