Bermuda Grass

A prostrate perennial with long creeping underground stem, erect culms 18-40 cm, rooting profusely from hairless nodes; Leaves blue green, flat, narrow and tapering, up to 15 cm long, blade sometimes sparingly hairy, margins delicately toothed; ligule marked by a ring of short fine hairs; a few long hairs about junction of sheath and blade; Inflorescence of 2-6 one-sided spikes about 3-6 long; axis of spikelets green, slender and triangular; spikelets not stalked, arranged in two close rows overlapping closely, each with one floret; single spikelet flattened, elliptical; the basal empty glumes remain on the spike after the spikelet has fallen off; stigmas purple, feathery, stamens three, anthers white.

A native of tropical Africa or the Indo-Malaysian area; now cosmopolitan in warm regions.

Common on roadsides and in heavily-grazed pastures; in dryland field crops; plantation crops and vegetables; common in dry sandy or costal soils; It is adapted to a wide range of soils from sandy to heavy clay but thrives best on medium to heavy soil which is moist and well drained