Classification and Biogeography of New World Grasses: Chloridoideae

Abstract

Subfamily Chloridoideae (Poaceae) in the New World includes 72 genera (61 native, 11 introduced), 678 species (607 native), and, including intraspecific taxa, 817 total taxa. The five largest genera are Muhlenbergia (147 species), Eragrostis (111), Sporobolus (76), Bouteloua (57), and Chloris (35).

Análisis de diversidad de la familia Poaceae en la región austral de America del Sur

“…Algunos géneros tienen una interesante distribución disyunta anfitropical, como Blepharidachne Hack., Distichlis Raf., Erioneuron Nash, Munroa Torr., Pappophorum Schreb., Scleropogon Phil. y Willkommia Hack., con algunas especies en el sur de los Estados Unidos de América y México y otras en regiones secas de América del Sur (Peterson et al 2007). La tribu Eragrostideae comprende a los géneros Cottea Kunth, Enneapogon Desv.…”

“…En líneas generales, las Chloridoideae son más diversas y abundantes en climas áridos y cálidos (Hartley & Slater 1960). Peterson et al (2007) señalan un patrón de distribución, de la subfamilia, en América del Sur, el que incluye básicamente áreas chaqueñas, y de pampas y sabanas, de Brasil, Paraguay, el este de Bolivia y noroeste y centro de la Argentina; estos autores mencionan un importante número de especies endémicas dentro de este patrón. El presente análisis concuerda con el criterio de Peterson et al (2007), quienes hallaron que la subfamilia domina en las provincias chaqueña, pampeana y áreas con campos de la provincia paranaense, es decir lugares abiertos y mayormente secos.…”

A classification of the Chloridoideae (Poaceae) based on multi-gene phylogenetic trees

“…Members of the Tridentinae usually have pubescent lemma nerves, a line of hairs for the ligule, and keeled florets, although the monotypic Vaseyochloa has dorsally rounded florets (Clayton and Renvoize, 1986;Watson and Dallwitz, 1992a). Based on data reported in Columbus et al (2007), Peterson et al (2007) erected the subtribe Gouiniinae to include Gouinia and Vaseyochloa; this name is now placed in synonymy to accommodate the larger assemblage.…”

“…The Chloridoideae have appeared monophyletic in all previous molecular analyses, however the classification within the subfamily, until recently, has been controversial ( Van den Borre and Watson, 1997;Soreng and Davis, 1998;Hsiao et al, 1999;Hilu and Alice, 2001;Roodt-Wilding and Spies, 2006;Columbus et al, 2007;Peterson et al, 2007;Soreng et al, 2009). Earlier studies based entirely on morphological characters, while not entirely misleading in depicting closely related genera, were often erroneous in elucidating evolutionary alignment of the tribes (Hilu and Wright, 1982;Van den Borre and Watson, 1997).…”

“…Earlier studies based entirely on morphological characters, while not entirely misleading in depicting closely related genera, were often erroneous in elucidating evolutionary alignment of the tribes (Hilu and Wright, 1982;Van den Borre and Watson, 1997). Clayton and Renvoize (1986) recognized a large Eragrostideae tribe that included 77 genera whereas Columbus et al (2007) and Peterson et al (2007), based on parsimony analyses of DNA sequences, have circumscribed a much smaller Eragrostideae (±8 genera) and a very large Cynodonteae (±60 genera) that included the following 10 subtribes: Boutelouinae, Chloridinae, Eleusininae, Gouiniinae, Hilariinae, Monanthochloinae, Munroinae, Muhlenbergiinae, Orcuttiinae, and Traginae. Roodt-Wilding and Spies (2006) investigated phylogenetic relationships among 38 southern African chloridoid species using trnL-F and ITS sequences.…”