A MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY OF PENNISETUM AND CENCHRUS (POACEAE)

DONADÍO S., GIUSSANI L., KELLOGG E., ZULOAGA F., Y MORRONE O.

San Isidro Buenos Aires

Jornada; Reunión Argentina de Cladística y Biogeografía; 2007

Instituto Darwinion

Pennisetum Rich. (80-140 species) and CenchrusRich. (80-140 species) and Cenchrus L. (16-22 species) are very closely related genera of Paniceae, both concentrated in the tropics and subtropics of the world (Clayton & Renvoize, 1986). The main difference between these genera lies on their involucral bristles: in CenchrusCenchrus the bristles always show some degree of fusion at the base, while in Pennisetum the bristles are usually free (DeLisle, 1963; Clayton & Renvoize, 1986; Crins, 1991). Moreover, the involucral bristles in Cenchrus are commonly flat, stiff, spiny and retrorsely barbed, while PennisetumPennisetum the bristles are usually free (DeLisle, 1963; Clayton & Renvoize, 1986; Crins, 1991). Moreover, the involucral bristles in Cenchrus are commonly flat, stiff, spiny and retrorsely barbed, while PennisetumCenchrus are commonly flat, stiff, spiny and retrorsely barbed, while PennisetumPennisetum exhibits filiform, and antrorsely scabrous bristles (DeLisle, 1963; Clayton & Renvoize, 1986; Wipff, 2003). However, Pennisetum andPennisetum and Cenchrus are not sharply separated due to a morphological gradation between them, with speciesare not sharply separated due to a morphological gradation between them, with species