Scientific name: Cynodon dactylon. Name in different languages:- English: Bermuda grass, Bahama grass, Couch grass, Hariali grass, Scutch grass, Dhub grass, Dog’s Tooth grass. Arabic: تكبلت (تَكبلت)، مديد (مُديد) , نجيل (نَجيل) , نجيل بلدى (نِجيل بَلَدى)، نشيل (نِشيل). French: Cynodon dactyle, Agrostide des Alpes. German: Finger-Hundszahn, Fingerförmiges Hundszahngras, Gemeines Hundszahn-Gras, Gemeines Hundszahngras, Gewöhnliches Hundszahngras, Hundszahngras. Italian: Capriola. Spanish: zacate pata de gallo, zacate Bermuda, zacate agujilla, pasto Bermuda, hierba-fina, grama-seda, chepica brava. Sanskrit: Niladurva, saddala, ananta. Hindi: Hariali, Dub दूब, Dobri. Assamese: Dubari. Bengali: Durba দুর্বা. Marathi: haryali, dhurva. Oriya: dubbo ghas. Urdu: Doob. Telugu: Ghericha, gerichagaddi. Tamil: Arugam Pillu, Arukam pillu, muyalpul. Kannada: balli garike, garikehullu, ambate hullu. Malayalam: Karukapullu, Belikaruka, Karuka.
Bermuda grass has the botanical name Cynodon dactylon and belongs to the family Poaceae. Even though Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) may look like a weed, it has immense medicinal value. Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) is also used as ornamental grass in garden and parks. Also it is used as an ingredient in many medicines. Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) has 10% protein content in it. The ash got from burning Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) is found to have 0.77% calcium, 0.34% magnesium, 0.23%sodium, 0.8%potassium and also proteins. This is the reason why it is dried and powdered and used for nasyam (a type of ayurvedic treatment) to cure nasal bleeding. The juice extracted from it, is given to patients with mental illness which gives them relaxation. Diabetic patients have the tendency to get abscess in the lower back area of the body. A mixture of Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), sesame and thumba flower (Leucas zeylanica)is made into a paste and mixed with butter and applied on the abscess, which helps to rupture it and heal the same. The tender stem is given to diabetic patients as a medicine. It is also used in naturopathy. Two types of Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) can be seen: one with fully green leaves and the other with bluish tinted leaves.
Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) can be cultivated in all types of soil. The stems are used for propagation and while selecting stems, there should be more than 1 node. The ground should be ploughed thoroughly and then cow dung mixed with water is added to it. Platforms are made 20 cm from the ground level and stems are planted at a distance of 15 cm from each other. Raw cow dung mixed with water can be added which helps to improve the growth of the Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon). Moisture should be retained in the soil till new sprouts emerge and later they can survive depending on the rain. Watering should be done only when the Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) is taken for medicinal purpose.
