Vascular Plants of North Carolina
Section: Common Name: Scientific Name: Family:
Account for Bermuda Grass - Cynodon dactylon   (L.) Persoon
Members of Poaceae:
Only member of Cynodon in NC.
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Section 5 » Order Cyperales » Family Poaceae
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Author(L.) Persoon
DistributionThroughout the state, although not yet collected from some montane counties. Almost surely will be found in all counties. It is such a weedy species that perhaps collectors have simply not bothered taking plants for specimens.

Native to Eurasia; widespread in the warmer parts of N.A.
AbundanceCommon to often abundant; seemingly not as numerous near the coastal region, though collected from many barrier islands.
HabitatRoadsides, lawns, garden weed, campuses, golf courses, dune swales, waste ground. It is one of the most abundant grasses of lawns and pastures.
PhenologyFlowering and fruiting May-September.
IdentificationBermuda Grass does not originate from Bermuda, but it grows well there. Stems creep along the ground and root at nodes. The flower stalks are held erect several inches to a foot, terminated by a rather horizontal "windmill" of skinny spikes.
Taxonomic Comments
Other Common Name(s)
State RankSE
Global RankGNR
State Status
US Status
USACE-agcpFACU link
USACE-empFACU link
County Map - click on a county to view source of record.
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B.A. SorrieFallow field and roadside, Whispering Pines, May 2015. MoorePhoto_non_natural