Bermuda Grass

I'm used to grass being soft, lush, straight, and green (unless it's August).
This stuff is called Bermuda Grass, it's a non-native grass - not native to Bermuda either - that is very invasive. It thrives even during drought and extreme heats. It flourishes in the sun which creates bare spots under the trees that actually are big enough to give proper shade.

This particular sprig on the right is only 3/4 of an inch long. It's unmistakable in the way its leaves are so compact together. The stems are slightly flattened, almost imperceptibly in a sample this small, and can be tinged with a little purple. The drier the grass is the browner it becomes and the purple is the first bit of color to go, so if you think it's Bermuda Grass but there is no purple tinge don't worry it took me 10 minutes to find any color other than green in my dry grass.

It can normally grow up to a foot tall (not exceeding three), but primarily spreads through creepers that root in. This creates a mat of grass.

Guide books won't tell you this, but when it's dry Bermuda Grass can break apart and stick to your clothes much like burrs (but in a pin shape).

[edit] Also the two things that pop into my mind when looking at a yard of Bermuda grass are "split ends" and "ferny." If that helps you identify, great, it certainly helps me!