Poaceae

C. dactylon (L.)Pers., Syn. PI. 1:85 (1805).
Perennial. Rhizomes spreading, glabrous, rooting at nodes, straw yellow. Flowering stems erect or ascending, geniculate at base, to 30 cm, smooth, glabrous. Leaf blades linear-lanceolate, to 6 cm, acute, margins scabridulous. Spikes 2-4(-7), (2-)3-7 cm, ± glabrous, rachis scabridulous. Spikelets 2-2.5 mm, very shortly pedicellate, pale green or suffused purple. Glumes linear-lanceolate, 1-2.2 mm. Lemma ovate-lanceolate, 2-2.5 mm, keel and margins ciliate or sparingly so. Anthers c. 1 mm, purple; stigmas purplish-black.
1. Leaf blades glabrous on both surfaces var. dactylon
1. Leaf blades and/or leaf sheaths sparsely or densely long-pilose on both surfaces var. villosus
var. dactylon. Syn: Panicum dactylon L., Sp. PL 58 (1753)! Ic: Hutch. & Dalziel, Fl. W. Trop. Afr. ed. 2, 3: t. 434 (1972). Fl. 4-9. Dry stony hill slopes, nr streams, freshwater marsh and sand dunes by sea, steppe, dry fallow fields, waste places, roadsides, s.l-1830 m.
Described from S. Europe (Hb. Linn. 80/35!).
W. Turkey, N.E. & S. Anatolia, Islands. A 1(E) Edirne: Enez, s.l., Coode & Jones 2891! Çanakkale: Kilia, Ingoldby 581a. A1(A) Çanakkale: Denizkent, Uotila 30394! A2(E) Istanbul: Chichli (Şişli), 20vii 1893, Azn.! A2(A) Istanbul: Kandilli, Sifa Suyu, Kurtto 3001! Balikesir: Edincik to Erdek, Uotila 30353! A9 Kars: Aras valley, W. of Iğdir, 1830 m, Furse 9122! Al0 Kars: N. of Orta Alican, nr Russian frontier, 800 m, Sorger & Kit-Tan 84-72-62! Bl Izmir: Smyrna (Izmir), Renaud! B2 Manisa: 13 km from Salihli to Kula, Coode & Jones 2799! B4 Ankara: Ankara, 12 vii 1932, Kotte! C1 Aydin: S. shore of Bafa G., 40 m, Hormia 680! Muğla: d. Marmaris, Doric Peninsula, Schultz 79! C3 Antalya: Antalya, 30 m, Tengwall 35! C5 Konya: Ereğli, 980 m, Carle & Kurschner VO 4640! Içel: c. 3 km E. of Mersin, Iter Leyd. 1959:1178b! Adana: Yumurtalık, nr s.l., Coode & Jones 712! C6 Maraş: Süleymanli, 4'viii 1964, Llywelyn-Williams! Hatay: d. Iskenderun, 11 km N. of Iskenderun, s.l., D. 26942! Is: Kos, road to Asklepeion, 100 m, Renvoize 2690!
Probably native to tropical Africa but now widespread in Asia and Europe and throughout warmer regions of the world. Cultivated as a lawn grass.