2005 Volume 33 Issue 2 Pages 122-126
Thirty-five Zoysiagrass specimens were collected from the southwestern islands of Japan, and their morpho-logical characteristics were evaluated to classify them. It was quite difficult to classify the specimens ofZ. tenuifoliaandZ. matrellain accordance with the standard classification method as leaf width, because the values of leaf width were continuously distributed between 0.29 to 1.86 mm.
Therefore, the leaf shapes and structures of these specimens were evaluated as the other methods. The buds in the sheaths showed obviously different structures, which were folded and rolled. The folded bud was identified asZ. tenuifolia, and the rolled one was identified asZ. matrella. In this method, it was possible to classify the narrow-leafZ. matrellaof less than 1mm, which was visually similar toZ. tenuifolia.
As mentioned above, the careful obsevation of bud structure is a useful parameter for classification ofZ. tenuifoliaandZ. matrella.
Furthermore significant differences were observed in leaf-blade length, internode length and ear length among the 12 types ofZ. tenuifoliaevaluated. The smallest type was the commercial cultivar, and the largest one was Miyako island type, which were corresponded to the characeristic ofZ. tenuifolia. This large type ofZ. tenuifoliahas firstly been identified in this study.
