Structure of the inflorescences of selected South American species of Abildgaardia Vahl, Bulbostylis Kunth, and Fimbristylis Vahl (Abildgaardieae-Cyperoideae-Cyperaceae)

REUTEMANN, AG; GUARISE, NJ; LÓPEZ, MG; VEGETTI, AC

PLANT SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTION

SPRINGER WIEN

Año: 2009 vol. 283 p. 93 - 110

0378-2697

Abildgaardieae poses several taxonomic challenges,because there is no general agreement on its circumscriptionand infrageneric divisions. With the objectiveof providing data with taxonomic and phylogenetic value,the structures of the inflorescences of Abildgaardia,Bulbostylis, and Fimbristylis were analyzed following themethodology and terminology of Troll’s school. Theinflorescences studied are polytelic and may comprise onlythe main florescence or may also show a paracladial zonebelow it. They are unispiculate, anthela-like, or capitate,and can be terminal, pseudolateral, or in an intermediateposition. Normal and prophyllar branching patterns areobserved. The acropetal reduction in the order and numberof ramifications, and the length of bracts and prophyllswere recorded. Foliose structures with an intermediateform between a setaceous bract and a glume are frequentlyfound at the spikelet base. Hypotheses of the homology ofthese structures, and a list of inflorescence characteristicsand character states are presented. The branching pattern ofthe inflorescence seems to be the main characteristic withpotential taxonomic and phylogenetic implications at genuslevel. The rest of the characteristics could possibly beuseful for infrageneric divisions.