x Cynochloris macivori Clifford
& Everist. Proc. Roy. Soc. Queensland
75: 46 (1964).
Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Chloridoideae. Cynodonteae.
Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information: HT: S.L. Everist 11, 11 Apr 1962, Australia: Queensland:
Moreton Distr., Limestone Hill, Ipswich, on bank around bowling green (BRI-050891; IT: K, US-3464963
("18 Apr 1962")).
Key references
(books and floras): [2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia.
Habit.
Perennial. Stolons present (slender, with internodes 2.5–5 cm long). Culms
erect (sub) or decumbent, stature slender to delicate, 20–50 cm tall, 4–9
-noded. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades conduplicate, 2–12 cm long.
Inflorescence.
Inflorescence digitate, with spicate branches.
Spikelets.
Fertile spikelets 1 or more flowered, with 1 fertile floret, comprising 1
fertile floret(s), with diminished florets at the apex, laterally compressed.
Glumes. Upper
glume 2.3–2.7 mm long.
Florets.
Fertile lemma 2.3–2.7 mm long. Lemma surface glabrous or indumented. Lemma apex
mucronate. Median (principal) awn 1–2 mm long overall.
Continental
Distribution: Australasia.
Australian
Distribution: Queensland.
Queensland: Moreton.
Notes.
Cultivated at Botanic Gardens, Brisbane, Qld,
from rhizomes collected at Ipswich, 8 May
1935, Mr. McIvor (CANB).
Used experimentally for bowling greens.
The hybrid is intermediate between the
putative parents in leaf anatomy. Its pollen grains are slightly smaller than
those of either parent, and lack viable pollen. Ovaries show no development
following anthesis, and hence no caryopses are formed, but the hybrid is more
vigorous in rooting behaviour than the parents, allowing rapid vegetative
propagation.
In
1964, the known natural distribution of hybrid couch was limited to the grounds
of the Ipswich Bowling Club, the adjoining Queen's Park, and from the grass
verge on the opposite side of Brisbane
Street, Ipswich,
where grass clippings and rubbish from Queen's Park had been dumped in past
years. Since then it has been distributed to both greenkeepers and botanic
gardens in Australia,
and used in soil conservation trials, and may be naturalized elsewhere.
