. dactylon is thought to have originated in Africa but now occurs worldwide in both tropical and subtropical regions including Asia, North, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and islands in the Pacific Ocean (see distribution table for details). It also spreads into temperate areas of Europe and North America but is limited by sensitivity to prolonged frost.
C. dactylon invades almost all kinds of crops and modified ecosystems, including urban areas and circulation paths (road and railroad tracks) in many regions.