Cool Season Grasses
Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis)- This plant is readily identified by its boat-shaped leaf tip. This is the only cool season turfgrass with a boat-shaped tip. It spreads by rhizomes and tillers and forms a dense sod. New shoots (rhizomes and tillers) are produced primarily in the spring and late summer.
Creeping Bentgrass (Agrostis palustris)- This plant is a perennial cool season grass that forms a dense mat. The grass spreads by profuse creeping stolons and possesses rather vigorous, shallow roots. A defining characteristic of this plant is a long membraneous ligule with auricles present.
Perrenial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne)- This plant has a bunch-type growth habit with a folded vernation. There is a short membraneous ligule present with short or absent auricles. One of the most recognizable characteristics of this plant is its shiny backside of the leaf blade.
Annual Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum)- Annual ryegrass also has a bunch-type growth habit. However, this plant has a rolled vernation. The most notable characteristic of this plant is a claw-like auricle. The course leaf texture and prominent veination are also very notable characteristics.
Tall Fescue (Festuca arundinacea)- This plant has a bunch-type growth habit along with rolled vernation. The ligule is often short to long in length with short, blunt auricles. The leaf blade has a pointed tip with rough edges.
Warm Season Grasses
Buffalograss (Buchloe dactyloides)- This plant has a stoloniferous growth habit with a rolled vernation. There is a ligule present with a fringe of hairs but there are no auricles present. Most notable is pubescence on upper and lower surfaces.
Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon)- This plant can have rhizomes and/or stolons with a folded vernation. The ligule on this plant has a fringe of hairs as most other warm season grasses have. The best identifying characteristic of this plant is the uneven internodes on the stolons.
Zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.)- This plant has a stonloniferous growth habit with a rolled vernation. The ligule has a fringe of hairs and there is no auricle. A helpful characteristic of this plant is the broad, continuous collar.
Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum)- The stolons on this plant are very thick along with a rolled or folded vernation. The ligule is membranous with a fringe of hairs.
Kikuyugrass (Pennisetum clandestinum) - Rhizomous and stoloniferous growth habit . This plant also has a folded vernation and a very smooth leaf blade.
St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum)- This plant also has a stoloniferous growth habit with a folded vernation. The ligule has a fringe of hairs and the leaf blade has a blunt tip. The ID characteristic of this plant is the 90 degree twist of the leaf blades.
Centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides)- This plant has the stoloniferous growth habit and the folded vernation. The ligule is membranous with a fringe of hairs. There is a very broad collar on this plant also.
