Cynodon, from Ancient Greek κύων (kúōn), meaning "dog", and ὀδούς (odoús), meaning "tooth", is a genus of plants in the grass family. It is native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Old World, as well as being cultivated and naturalized in the New World and on many oceanic islands.
Taxonomy
The genus name comes from Greek words meaning "dog-tooth". The genus as a whole as well as its species are commonly known as Bermuda grass or dog's tooth grass.
Species
Cynodon ambiguus (Ohwi) P.M.Peterson
Cynodon barberi Rang. & Tadul. – India, Sri Lanka
Cynodon convergens F.Muell.
Cynodon coursii A.Camus – Madagascar
Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. – Old World; introduced in New World and on various islands
Cynodon incompletus Nees – southern Africa; introduced in Australia, Argentina
Cynodon × magennisii Hurcombe – Limpopo, Gauteng, Mpumalanga; introduced in Texas, Alabama
Cynodon nlemfuensis Vanderyst – Africa from Ethiopia to Zimbabwe; introduced in South Africa, West Africa, Saudi Arabia, Philippines, Texas, Florida, Mesoamerica, northern South America, various islands
Cynodon plectostachyus (K.Schum.) Pilg. – Chad, East Africa; introduced in Madagascar, Bangladesh, Mexico, West Indies, Paraguay, northeastern Argentina, Texas, California
Cynodon prostratus (C.A.Gardner & C.E.Hubb.) P.M.Peterson
Cynodon radiatus Roth – China, Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Madagascar; introduced in Australia, New Guinea
Cynodon simonii P.M.Peterson
Cynodon tenellus R.Br.
Cynodon transvaalensis [vi] Burtt Davy – South Africa, Lesotho; introduced in other parts of Africa plus in scattered locales in Iran, Australia, and the Americas
Formerly included
Several species now considered better suited to other genera, namely Arundo, Bouteloua, Chloris, Cortaderia, Ctenium, Digitaria, Diplachne, Eleusine, Enteropogon, Eragrostis, Eustachys, Gynerium, Leptochloa, Molinia, Muhlenbergia, Phragmites, Poa, Spartina, Tridens, and...
