EVIDENCE FROM MORPHOLOGY FOR THE INCLUSION OF DASYOCHLOA PULCHELLA IN THE AMPHITROPICAL GENUS MUNROA (POACEAE, CHLORIDOIDEAE)

LEONARDO D. AMARILLA; JORGE O. CHIAPELLA; NICOLÁS NAGAHAMA; ANA M. ANTON

DARWINIANA

INSTITUTO DE BOTÁNICA DARWINION

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2012

0011-6793

Munroa is a morphologically heterogeneous American genus of grasses, with a disjunct distribution in North and South America and five species. Dasyochloa is a monotypic grass genus, common in western North America. It has a controversial systematic position and has been classified in other genera including Triodia, Uralepis, and Erioneuron. We conducted phylogenetic analyses based on morphological data, and found that Dasyochloa cannot be maintained as an independent genus from Munroa as they form a monophyletic group defined by six synapomorphies. On this basis, we transfer Dasyochloa to Munroa and propose the new combination M. pulchella (Kunth) Amarilla. Statistical analysis to assess similarities between taxa and develop an identification key, descriptions and illustrations are included.