Common name
Blue Couch

Derivation
Cynodon Rich., in C.H.Persoon, Syn. Pl. 1: 85 (1805), nom. cons.; from the Greek kyon (dog) and odous (tooth). From chiendent, the French name for the commonest species.

incompletus- Latin for imperfect. Terminal floret incomplete.

Published in
Linnaea 7: 301 (1832).

Habit
Perennial, mat forming. Stolons present, with alternating elongated and bunched internodes. Basal leaf sheaths glabrous or pilose. Culms erect or geniculately ascending, 5–40 cm tall, 1 mm diam. Ligule an eciliate membrane, 0.4–1 mm long, truncate. Leaf-blades 2–6 cm long, 1–3 mm wide, mid-green or dark green or glaucous. Leaf-blade surface glabrous or pilose. Leaf-blade apex acuminate.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence digitate, with spicate branches. Spikes 3–5, unilateral, 1.5–3.5 cm long. Rhachis narrowly winged, flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis, regular, 2-rowed. Spikes-bases brief, pubescent.

Spikelets
Spikelets appressed, solitary. Fertile spikelets at least 3-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, without rhachilla extension, ovate, laterally compressed, compressed strongly, 2.1–3 mm long, breaking up at maturity. Spikelets disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Glumes
Glumes persistent, similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate or elliptic or oblong or ovate, 0.6–1 mm long, 50% length of upper glume, membranous, 1-keeled, 1-nerved. Lower glume lateral nerves absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate, 25–50% of length of adjacent fertile lemma, membranous, 1-keeled, 1-nerved. Upper glume lateral nerves absent. Upper glume apex acute.

Florets
Fertile lemma ovate, laterally compressed, 2.1–3 mm long, cartilaginous, winged on keel, 3-nerved. Lemma midnerve ciliolate or ciliate. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2-nerved. Palea keels scaberulous. Anthers 3, 1.5–2 mm long, orange. Grain with adherent pericarp.

Continental Distribution:
Africa, Australasia, South America.

Australian Distribution:
Queensland, New South Wales.

Queensland: Leichhardt, Burnett, Darling Downs. New South Wales: North Coast, Central Coast, Northern Tablelands, North-Western Slopes, Central-Western Slopes, South-Western Slopes, North-Western Plains, South-Western Plains.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Chloridoideae: Cynodonteae

Notes
Introduced; Eastern N.S.W. and SE Qld; endemic to southern Africa; introduced elsewhere.

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