common carpetgrass

Family

Poaceae

Scientific Name

Axonopus fissifolius

Other Common Names:

gramalote zacate amargo

narrowleaved carpetgrass

Louisiana grass

axonopus

caratao grass

carpet grass

grama-missioneira

mat grass

teppichrasengras

Synonyms (former Scientific Names):

Axonopus affinis

Habit

It grows and looks very similar to St. Augustinegrass and centipedegrass. It is a perennial creeping grass that produces a thick mat or sward with light green and course-textured blades

Leaves

The leaf blade is usually flat or folded and 6 inches long and 6 to 12 mm wide; fine hair along margin near base; rounded or slightly pointed; and reddish or purplish near maturity. The ligule is a very short membrane.

Identifying Characteristics

Common carpetgrass is a native, warm-season, stoloniferous perennial grass. The height is can range between 0.5 and 2 feet if unmown. It can be found in lawns as desired or an infestation due to its similarity to other turfgrass species.

Flower Seed Head

The seedhead has 2 to 5 (usually 3) slender racemes 1 to 4 in long.

Where Found

In southern Florida, common carpetgrass stays green all year. Elsewhere, it becomes dormant early in the fall and starts growth in the spring. It produces seedheads and stolons during the active growth period. It reproduces from stolons and from seed. Pure stands are common. It is adapted to clays, sands, mucks, and peats. Most commonly, it is found on slightly acid sandy to sandy loam soils that have a favorable soil-moisture relationship.