Corresponding author: Robert J. Soreng (
Academic editor: Leonardo Versieux
A revision and key to the 23 species and eight subspecies of
Se realizó la revisión del género
Accounts of the genus
Specimens of
The following combination of characteristics distinguish
Chromosome base number is
The genus is Worldwide but is usually not found in tropical countries without high mountains. In Mexico the genus is known from all states except Nayarit, Quintana Roo, Sinaloa, Tabasco, and Yucatan.
Species of
1 | Glumes exceeding the distal florets; lemmas 3 (or 5)-veined | 2 |
– | Glumes shorter than the proximal floret (subequal in |
3 |
2 | Anthers ca. 0.2−0.4 mm long; slender annuals; blades flat, lax; lemma surfaces crisply puberulent; plants from the Pacific coastal islands, Baja California | 22. |
– | Anthers 0.5−1.1 mm long (i.e., fertile ones, which are often in the proximal floret only); small, densely tufted perennials; blades folded, moderately firm; lemmas glabrous; plants from volcanoes in Central Mexico | 5. |
3 | Plants annual; palea keels distinctly pubescent in part, rarely glabrous but then smooth | 4 |
– | Plants perennial; palea keels glabrous, or sometimes pubescent, but always scabrous in part | 6 |
4 | Floret callus with cobwebby hairs; panicles contracted; palea keels with some apical hooks; plants from around the northern deserts | 4. |
– | Floret callus glabrous; panicles open; palea keels without hooks; plants from various localities | 5 |
5 | Anthers 0.6−1 mm long; panicle branches ascending to spreading, spikelets loosely arranged; plants widespread | 2. |
– | Anthers 0.2−0.5(–0.6) mm long; panicle branches ascending, spikelets crowded; plants from Baja California | 10. |
6 | Anthers 0.5−1 (rarely to 1.2) mm long (sometimes with only rudimentary staminodes in upper florets within a spikelet, never throughout a spikelet); callus webbed (glabrous in |
7 |
– | Anthers 1.2−3 mm long, or reduced to vestigial staminodes (sacs 0.1−0.2 mm long, with minute filaments, or sacs longer but evidently sterile) in some or all florets; callus glabrous or pubescent | 11 |
7 | Panicles contracted, linear; spikelets crowded along branches; plants from central and southern Mexico | 18. |
– | Panicles more open, eventually ovoid or pyramidal, spikelets remote or moderately crowded along branches | 8 |
8 | Lemmas glabrous or base of keel and marginal veins very sparsely puberulent, but glabrous elsewhere | 9 |
– | Lemmas short villous on the keel and lateral nerves, sometimes puberulent between the nerves | 10 |
9 | Spikelets lanceolate, florets loosely arranged; glumes unequal, lower glume subulate to wedge shaped, 1/4−1/2 the length of the proximal lemma (rarely longer and narrowly lanceolate); lemma lanceolate, callus glabrous and lemma smooth or slightly scabrous on upper keel; plants from southern Mexico | 20. |
– | Spikelets ovate, florets compactly arranged; glumes subequal, lower glume similar in shape to upper glume, lanceolate to broadly lanceolate in side-view, 2/3−4/5 the length of the proximal lemma; lemma ovate, glabrous or sparsely short puberulent on the keel and marginal veins, callus webbed (sometimes scant and short, and only present on the proximal floret within a spikelet), and lemma usually more scabrous; plants from central and southern Mexico | 14. |
10 | Ligule of upper culm leaf acute, 3−12 mm long, longer than its blade width; panicles (6–) 12−40 cm long; plants from Coahuila, Madera del Carmen | 13. |
– | Ligule of upper culm leaf obtuse or sometimes acute, 1.2−3 mm long, shorter than to equal its blade width; panicles 7−20 cm long; plants from central and southern Mexico | 17. |
11 | Plants 1.5−6 cm tall; panicles 1−2 cm long, dense; flowers all pistillate; florets glabrous, lemma body bronze-colored and scareous in the upper 1/4−1/3; plants found in alpine habitats of high elevations (above 4000 m) | 12 |
– | Plants 9−100 cm tall; panicles 2−40 cm long, dense or loose, ovate to pyramidal; flowers perfect-flowered, staminate, or all pistillate; florets pubescent or glabrous, lemma body not or only bronze-colored in a narrow strip, scareous only in the margins and apex; plants found in lowland habitats to low alpine sites | 13 |
12 | Ligules abaxially smooth, 0.5−3.2 mm long; blades adaxially smooth or sparsely scabrous; panicles lanceolate to ovate; florets (1−)2; lemmas smooth; plants of wet habitats; plants known from Ixtaccihuatl | 6. |
– | Ligules abaxially scabrous, less than 1 mm long; blade margins and adaxial surface densely scabrous; panicles linear, spiciform; florets 1−2; lemmas distally finely scabrous; plants of dry habitats; plants known from Monte Tlaloc | 9. |
13 | Upper glumes (3−)5−7-veined; blades and pedicles finely papilliate (×50); callus glabrous; lemmas loosely pubescent; longest panicle branches 1.4−3.8 cm long; plants 9−28(–42) cm tall; plants from the top of Cerro Potosí, Nuevo León | 12. |
– | Upper glumes 3-veined; blades and pedicles without papillae (×50); callus pubescent or glabrous; lemmas glabrous or variously pubescent; longest panicle branches (1–)3−15 cm long; plants 20−100 cm tall; plants widespread | 14 |
14 | Plant vegetative shoots all intravaginal (cataphylls absent, prophylls well developed 0.5–5 cm long); plants without rhizomes or lateral shoots, densely tufted | 15 |
– | Plant vegetative shoots extravaginal (cataphylls present above rudimentary prophylls up to 0.2 cm long) or mixed extra- and intravaginal (the later with well developed prophylls); plants with or without rhizomes; loosely to densely tufted | 18 |
15 | Blades flaccid, flat or sometimes folded, soon withering; sheaths of upper culm leaves closed 5−20% their length; lemmas somewhat rounded on back; plants of Baja California | 19. |
– | Blades moderately firm, flat, folded, and involute on the margins, retaining shape on drying; sheaths of upper culm leaves closed 5−70% their length; lemmas distinctly keeled; plants of Northern Mexico to Mt. Orizaba | 16 |
16 | Spikelets ovate; palea keels puberulent to short villous for much of their length; panicles 2−6 (−8) cm long, fairly congested, proximal internode usually 0.6−1 cm long; plants of subalpine to low alpine (province uncertain, possibly Mt. Orizaba) | 1. |
– | Spikelets lanceolate; palea keels glabrous or medially sparsely puberulent; panicles (3−) 4−30 cm long, open or moderately congested, proximal internode 1−5 cm long; plants from uplands of Baja California and in and around the Chihuahuan Desert | 17 |
17 | Uppermost culm sheaths (2.5–)10−16 x longer than its blade; flag leaf blade vestigial or reduced, 0.1-1.5(-4) cm long; lemmas pubescent on lower half of the keel and/or keel and marginal veins; longest panicle branches 3−7 cm long; plants 20−50 cm tall; old basal blades commonly disarticulating from dense fascicles of old persisting basal sheaths; plants from the Sierra San Pedro Mártir, Baja California | 3. |
– | Uppermost culm sheaths 0.5−1.5 x longer than its blade; flag leaf blade well-developed, 4-23 cm long; lemmas glabrous or very sparsely puberulent on the keel and marginal veins near the base, infrequently sparsely puberulent between the veins near the base; longest panicle branches (1–) 7−10 (–15) cm long; plants (20–) 40−100 cm tall; old basal blades not consistently disarticulating and old sheaths not persisting in dense fascicles; plants from uplands in and around the Chihuahuan Desert | 21. |
18 | Panicles contracted, fairly dense, or slightly open; uppermost culm leaf blades highly reduced or absent; populations dioecious or pistillate; callus glabrous; plants of the northern mountains | 19 (8. |
– | Panicles loosely contracted to open; uppermost culm leaf blades usually well developed (reduced in |
21 |
19 | Lemmas glabrous; plants from the Sierra Madre Occidental | 8a. |
– | Lemmas pubescent on the keel and marginal nerves | 20 |
20 | Ligules of upper culm leaves 0.2−1(–1.5) mm long, truncate to rounded, upper margin minutely ciliate fringed; collar margins usually distinctly scabrous; plants from the range of the species; Baja California, Chihuahua, Sonora, and Coahuila | 8b. |
– | Ligules of upper culm leaves (1.5–)1.8–11 mm long, obtuse to acuminate, upper margin without a ciliate fringe; collar margins usually smooth or sparingly scabrous; plants from Baja California | 8c. |
21 | Culms and nodes strongly compressed, keeled, lower nodes usually exposed; plants strongly rhizomatous; plants weedy | 7. |
– | Culms and nodes terete, or culms weakly compressed, lower nodes usually sheathed; plants without rhizomes or rhizomatous; plants weedy or not | 22 |
22 | Leafblades mostly involute, mostly 1−2 mm wide (expanded), both surfaces moderately to densely scabrous; callus glabrous (rarely with a few short hairs); lemma keel and marginal veins glabrous or puberulent (hairs to 0.25 mm), sometimes puberulent between the veins near the base; plants from uplands in and around the Chihuahuan Desert | 21. |
– | Leafblades flat or folded, some or most more than 2 mm wide, or if involute in part, then surfaces smooth or nearly so; callus with a dorsal tuft of wooly hairs; lemma glabrous or variously pubescent; plants widespread | 23 |
23 | Upper culm leaf blade less than 1/10 its sheath in length; lemmas distinctly pubescent between the veins; plants from Sierra Rosario, Coahuila | 23. |
– | Upper culm leaf blades more than 1/5 its sheath in length; lemmas glabrous or sparsely puberulent between the veins; plants widespread | 24 |
24 | Rachilla internodes usually exposed in side view; spikelets 4.5−8 mm long; lemmas glabrous or variously pubescent; ligules truncate to obtuse to acute, sometimes irregularly dentate to lacerate, 0.8−6 mm long; rhizomes usually short and/or poorly developed; plants from the Sierra Madre Occidental and Oriental | 25 |
– | Rachilla internodes mostly hidden from view; spikelets mostly 3−6 mm long; lemmas glabrous between the keel and marginal nerves (sparsely puberulent on the intermediate veins in subsp. |
16. |
25 | Sheaths closed 30−65% their length (margins partly connected by an invaginated scareous-hyaline membrane for several cm); blades involute, flat or folded, mostly 2−3 mm wide; ligules truncate to obtuse, 0.8–3 mm long; lemmas distinctly puberulent along the keel and marginal veins; plants from the Sierra Madre Oriental | 15. |
– | Sheaths closed 60−80% their length (margins more or less abruptly connected by a distinct herbaceous connection); blades mostly flat and 3−7 mm wide; ligules obtuse to acute, 3−6 mm long; lemmas glabrous or sparingly puberulent on the lower keel and marginal veins; plants from the Sierra Madre Occidental | 26 (11. |
26 | Sheaths of lower leaves smooth, glabrous; collars smooth or with a few hooks, glabrous; lemmas finely muriculate between the veins, keel and marginal veins glabrous below; plants from Durango | 11a. |
– | Sheaths of lower leaves retrorsely scabrous to puberulent; collars ciliate; lemmas densely scabrous between the veins, keels and marginal veins puberulent below; plants from southern Chihuahua | 11b. |
Europe, in alpibus Lapponicis, Helveticis (lectotype: LINN-87.2!, designated by
Hermaphroditic.
The species is circumboreal and in North America it ranges from Canada, Greenland, USA, south to Mexico. It is known only from the type collection and the location in Mexico is unknown.
The species is found in disturbed sites in boreal forests, subalpine to low alpine meadows, and rocky slopes, on calcareous to acidic substrates.
The species is common in North America and rare (if extant) in Mexico.
Gynomonoecious.
The species is distributed Worldwide, primarily in temperate and subtropical regions. In Mexico it is recorded from all states, except Campeche, Nayarit, Quintana Roo, Sinaloa, Tabasco, and Yucatán.
The species is a gynomonoecious, ruderal annual (infrequently a short-lived perennial), and is found in waste ground, lawns, gardens, trails, sidewalks, roadsides, fields ranging from sea level to over 4500 m. The species can potentially flower throughout the year.
Mexico.
This Old World species is naturalized throughout temperate regions of the New World. The species was already widespread in Mexico by the mid-1800’s: Popocatepetl,
Mexico, Baja California, Sierra San Pedro Mártir, E rim above Yerba Buena,
Hermaphroditic.
The species is known only from Baja California and is endemic to Sierra San Pedro Mártir.
This species occurs on mountain slopes, flats, and drainages, and is associated with
The species is a narrow endemic and locally frequent.
Mexico.
The species is endemic to the upper elevations of the Sierra San Pedro Mártir, Baja California but apparently was not collected until 1962. Reported and described as
Hermaphroditic.
The species is endemic to the southwestern USA (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah) and northern Mexico. In Mexico it occurs in Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Sonora.
The species occurs in shady sites among rocks and shrubs, usually in loose soils in springtime-moist desert uplands to open slopes lower
Mexico.
Presumably because of its early spring flowering and dependence on winter and early spring precipitation, this species is infrequently collected in Mexico.Its annual habit and narrow, congested panicles, combined with a web on the callus of the lemma, distinguish it from all other species of
Gynomonoecious.
The species occurs in Bolivia and Peru, and in Mexico it is known from the states of Mexico, Puebla, San Luis Potosí, Tlaxcala, and Veracruz.
This species is found on fairly well drained alpine volcanic slopes between 3800–4550 m. Flowering August to September.
Mexico.
First reported from Mexico by
Peru, in andibus elevatis supra Lima ad 4500 m, Mar 1904,
Pistillate.
The species occurs in Bolivia, Peru, and Mexico. In Mexico it is restricted to Volcán Ixtaccihuatl, and possibly to the state of Puebla.
The species occurs as isolated mats in wet meadows and on gentle slopes between 4300−4450 m. The spikelets of this species are strictly pistillate and seed is produced apomicticly. Flowering September to October.
Mexico.
In Mexico, the
A further taxonomic problem arises when trying to reliably distinguish
Habitat in Europae and Americae septentrionalis, (lectotype: LINN-87.41!, designated by
Hermaphroditic.
This species is circumboreal in distribution and in North America it occurs in Canada, USA, and Mexico (Coahuila).
This strongly rhizomatous, ruderal species occurs in mesic, cool temperate, semi-shaded to open habitats in seasonally soggy soils, sands to clays, both derived from calcareous and igneous substrates. Once established, this species readily spreads by rhizomes.
Mexico.
This species has been introduced into the New World for soil stabilization and it is presumed also to be native in northern USA and southern Canada (
Dioecious (sometimes strictly pistillate).
The species is widespread in North America and occurs in southwestern and south central Canada, western USA, and northern Mexico in Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Sonora.
This dioecious, weakly rhizomatous species occurs in the mountains on open forested slopes derived from calcareous and igneous substrates. It is sometimes strictly pistillate and apomictic. Flowering principally in the spring.
This species provides good springtime forage where it is abundant and all three subspecies occur in Northern Mexico (
A specimen from 20 mi N of Durango, Oct 7 1955,
1 | Lemmas glabrous; plants from the Sierra Madre Occidental | 8a. |
– | Lemmas pubescent on the keel and marginal nerves | 2 |
2 | Ligules of upper culm leaves 0.2−1(–1.5) mm long, truncate to rounded, upper margin minutely ciliate fringed; collar margins usually distinctly scabrous; plants from the range of the species; Baja California, Chihuahua, Sonora, and Coahuila | 8b. |
– | Ligules of upper culm leaves (1.5–)1.8–11 mm long, obtuse to acuminate, upper margin without a ciliate fringe; collar margins usually smooth or sparingly scabrous; plants from Baja California | 8c. |
The subspecies is endemic to southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, USA, and the northern Sierra Madre Occidental of Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora).
The subspecies is found in canyons and rocky slopes in forests and is associated with:
Mexico.
This subspecies has glabrous lemmas and short ligules, and is the most common subspecies of
The subspecies is found throughout the range of the species, but is rare to absent from much of the westernmost part of the USA range. In Mexico the subspecies is found in Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, and Sonora.
Where the ranges of the subspecies overlap this subspecies often occurs in slightly drier and more open habitats than
Mexico.
The subspecies occurs in North America, southwestern Canada, western USA, and in Baja California, Mexico.
Where their ranges overlap
Mexico.
This taxon was accepted as
Peru, 15°50' to 16°00'S, südlich von Sumbay, Eisenbahn Arequipa–Puno, Tola–Heide, 4000 m, Apr 1914,
Pistillate.
In South America the species occurs Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Peru; and is known only from the state of Mexico.
This species is typically found on well drained slopes, in loam, sandy loam, scree, or rocky crevices, on alpine volcanic slopes between 4000–4200 m. Flowering in August.
Mexico.
This is the first report of this species for Mexico.
Gynomonoecious or hermaphroditic.
The species is indigenous to western Eurasia, Middle East (especially Mediterranean countries), and North Africa; introduced in Australia and the Americas. In North America the species is known from sporadic locations in British Columbia, Canada; California, Georgia, Oregon in the USA; and Baja California, Mexico. In South America the species is known from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Peru, and in Central America it has been reported from Guatemala (
This species occurs from near sea level in temperate regions with Mediterranean climates, to elevations with cool temperate to frigid climates in tropical latitudes (to 4400 m). Flowering late winter to early spring.
Mexico.
This diploid species name was applied to various early collections from Mexico, and later treated as synonym of
Mexico, Durango, Sierra Madre Occidental, southwest slope of Cerro Gordo, just below twin rock outcrops,
Hermaphroditic.
Originally spelled as
1 | Sheaths of lower leaves smooth, glabrous; collars smooth or with a few hooks, glabrous; lemmas finely muriculate between the veins, keel and marginal veins glabrous below; plants from Durango | 11a. |
– | Sheaths of lower leaves retrorsely scabrous to puberulent; collars ciliate; lemmas densely scabrous between the veins, keels and marginal veins puberulent below; plants from southern Chihuahua | 11b. |
This subspecies is known only from Cerro Gordo, Durango.
Known only from a single locality at Cerro Gordo, between 3130–3200 m where the species was found growing on steep, rocky, and grassy slopes beneath open forests of
Mexico.
Cerro Gordo is quite remote from other high peaks in the area as it takes nearly 10 hours of driving from Durango along a dirt road to reach the base of the mountain, just south of Maiz Gordo. There are other mountains in Durango that approach this height and it would seem reasonable to assume that this species might occur on these.
Mexico, Chihuahua, Municipio de Guadalupe y Calvo, Sierra Madre Occidental, N side of Cerro Mohinora, ca. 13 mi SW of Guadalupe y Calvo, open pine-fir woods with scattered spruce, nearly vertical, N facing rock wall, very moist with many bryophytes and rich herbaceous flora,
This subspecies is known only from the Sierra Mohinora, Chihuahua.
The subspecies is found on moist rocky ledges and cliffs associated with
Mexico.
When the second author visited the type locality in 2006, the habitat within 5 km of the peak was found to be quite disturbed by grazing and logging. The holotype was initially determined as
Mexico, Nuevo León, Municipio de Galeana, collected in pine woods on the Peak of Cerro Potosí, 21 Jul 1935,
Hermaphroditic.
The species is known only from the Cerro Potosí, Nuevo León.
The species occurs on open or sparsely wooded slopes derived from calcareous rocks on the upper slopes of Cerro Potosí, and is associated with
This narrow endemic is locally uncommon.
Mexico.
From other infrageneric taxa of
Hermaphroditic.
The species is known from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas, USA; and Coahuila, Mexico (Madera del Carmen).
The species occurs on slopes in wooded canyons with
The species is rare in Mexico.
Mexico.
This is the first report
Mexico, Puebla, Mt. Orizaba, bald hill, 13,000 ft [3940 m], spreading, infrequent, 17−18 Aug 1910,
Hermaphroditic.
The species occurs in Mexico in the states of Mexico, Puebla, and Veracruz; and Guatemala.
This species occurs in subalpine to low alpine meadows and slopes of volcanoes, between (2700–)3000–4300(–4570) m. Flowering July through September.
The species is endemic on the slopes of two volcanoes in Mexico where it is locally common. The disposition of some specimens from the Departamento of Huehuetenango, Guatemala, requires further study.
Mexico.
We have seen a few specimens from Guatemala that are tentatively placed here but verge on the limits accorded to
Mexico. Nuevo León, Sierra Madre [Oriental] above Monterey [ca
Differing from
Trioecious (mostly hermaphroditic, but some pistillate or staminate).
The species is endemic to the Sierra Madre Oriental and is found in Coahuila and Nuevo León, Mexico.
This species is found on rocky calcareous substrates in shaded and open forests associated with
The species is a regional endemic, known from only 15 collections over 1400 km2.
A provisional key to 11 species of
Pringle’s label on the type collection can be read as 3000 ft, but we wonder if this is a printing error as the 3 looks more like an 8 when inspected closely, without the serifs of the 3 that are present in the date and other numbers. Whatever the case is, 3000 ft seems far too low for this species.
The breeding system of
It is most easily differentiated from
Russia, Prov. Sanct-Petersburg, 5 km australi-occidentum, 26 Jun 1997,
Hermaphroditic.
The species is distributed worldwide but absent from tropical countries except in high mountains, or where introduced. In Mexico, the species is known from Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Distrito Federal, Hidalgo, Mexico, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí and Veracruz.
The facultatively apomictic, mostly high polyploid species inhabits cool mesic to frigid climates, is often seeded for pastures and lawns, and is easily established outside of cultivation since it tolerates disturbance. In Mexico, it occurs from 10–3650 m. Flowering May to July.
Even though the species is highly plastic and tends to look a bit odd in low latitudes, we made an attempt to sort out the subspecific forms in Mexico. The results were unsatisfactory. We have identified a few specimens that match the typical forms, but we could not confidently place most of the material into subspecies.
1 | Vegetative shoots intravaginal (each with a well-developed, 2-keeled, longitudinally-spilt prophyll), and extravaginal shoots (each with a rudimentary prophyll and one to several cataphylls at the base); the involute blades often distinctly narrower than the flat ones | 2 |
– | Vegetative shoots all extravaginal (or infrequently also with an intravaginal shoot), isolated or crowded (each extravaginal shoot with a rudimentary prophyll, and one to several cataphylls at the base) | 4 |
2 | Blades mostly flat and fairly soft, or a mixture of folded-involute moderately-soft to soft vegetative shoot blades, and flat or folded, soft culm blades; the adaxial surfaces of all blades usually glabrous; abaxial veins of intravaginal shoot blades slender, narrower than the intercostal surfaces; plants of pastures and parks and waste ground to subalpine | 6e. |
– | Blades of vegetative and culm shoots involute on the margins, moderately firm, and of fairly uniform width; the adaxial surfaces, at least of the vegetative shoot blades with sparse, elongated, weakly-appressed hairs; abaxial veins of intravaginal shoot blades slender to thick, narrower to broader than the intercostal surfaces; plants widespread | 3 |
3 | Blades ca. (0.8–) 1–2 mm wide (expanded), the longer vegetative shoot blades short less than 10 (–15) long; panicles contracted, branches smooth or sparsely scabrous; plants of mountain meadows, open forests, and subalpine | 16a. |
– | Blades 0.4–1 mm wide (expanded), the longer vegetative shoot blades often exceeding 10 cm long; panicles loosely contracted to open, branches usually scabrous; plants of pastures, waste ground | 16c. |
4 | Extravaginal shoot blades fairly slender (1–2 mm wide), usually folded; vegetative shoots mostly isolated; panicles narrowly pyramidal, branches mostly smooth or sparsely scabrous, spikelets 3–4.5 mm long ; plants of subalpine to alpine | 16b. |
– | Extravaginal shoot blades generally broader (2–5 mm wide), flat or folded, often lax; vegetative shoots isolated or crowded; panicles pyramidal to broadly pyramidal, branches somewhat sparsely to fairly densely scabrous; spikelets 4–7 mm long; plants of lawns and parks and waste ground to low alpine | 5 |
5 | Glumes subequal, frequently pruinose, lower glumes (1) 3-viened, similar in shape to the upper glume, upper glumes often equal to the lowest lemma in length; panicles fairly sparsely flowered; collar margins and ligule abaxial surfaces commonly pubescent | 16d. |
– | Glumes unequal, infrequently pruinose, lower glumes 1 (3)-veined, narrower than the upper glume, upper glumes usually shorter than lowest lemma; panicles moderately densely flowered; collar margins and ligule abaxial surfaces usually glabrous | 16e. |
Tufts sparse, some shoots clustered; pale green or bluish-gray-green; tillers intra- and extravaginal.
This subspecies in North America is known from Canada and USA, and in Mexico from the states of Baja California and Coahuila.
The subspecies inhabits cool temperate prairies, meadows, and open coniferous forests.
Mexico.
This form of
Tufts sparse, or all shoots solitary; green (often anthocyanic) tillers mainly extravaginal.
The subspecies is circumboreal and in North America occurs in Canada, Greenland, USA, and Mexico (Nuevo León).
This subspecies is found in boreal to alpine forests, and it tolerates frigid conditions.
This native subspecies is common across Canada, and uncommon in the Rocky Mountains south of Colorado, and locally uncommon in Mexico.
Mexico.
Tufts sparse to dense, some shoots clustered; pale green or bluish-gray-green; tillers intra- and extravaginal.
This subspecies is native to Eurasia. It is introduced in North America where it is known from Canada, USA, and in Mexico (San Luis Potosí).
The subspecies isintroduced and sometimes is included in pasture grass seed mixes, it tolerates drought better than other subspecies except perhaps subsp.
Mexico.
This
Tufts sparse or dense to loose, sometimes forming turf, or some or all shoots solitary; dark green, or bluish-gray-green; tillers mainly extravaginal.
The subspecies occurs in Eurasia, North America (Canada, Greenland, USA, and Mexico (Veracruz).
The introduced subspecies iscultivated as a turf grass in mesic, cool temperate regions.
Mexico.
The subspecies is often cultivated for pastures and lawns and many of the cultivars originate from Eurasian selections, or plants selected from foreign strains established in North America; and cultivated strains are certainly present in Mexico (see type of
Tufts sparse, or dense to loose, shoots clustered, or some solitary; green, or bluish-gray-green; tillers intra- and extravaginal.
The subspecies occurs in Eurasia, North America (Canada, Greenland, USA), and Mexico (Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Distrito Federal, Hidalgo, Mexico, Nuevo León, Veracruz).
This introduced subspecies occurs mostly between 900–3500 m, in cool temperate habitats, probably in large part due to seeding for soil stabilization, pastures and lawns. Flowering May to July.
Mexico.
This subspecies is commonly included in cool temperate pasture and lawn grass seed mixes. More than 140 of the 162 chromosome counts RJS has compiled from the literature for this taxon are between 2
Mexico, Toluca, Cocustepec, Volcán Toluca, 8800 ft [2440 m],
Hermaphroditic or simple gynomonoecious.
The species is found in Guatemala (Huehuetenango) and Mexico (Distrito Federal, Hidalgo, Mexico, Oaxaca, San Luis Potosí, Veracruz).
Mexico.
In 2005 the first author viewed the type collection of
Specimens previously identified as “
Chile, Straight of Magalhaens, Port Famine,
Hermaphroditic.
The species is found in North, Central, and South America; Mesoamerica: Guatemala; Mexico: Chiapas, Distrito Federal, Mexico, Morelos, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Veracruz; South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.
In Mexico the species is found in mesic, cool temperate forest openings to low alpine habitats, particularly on volcanic substrates, and frequently associated with some disturbance; ranging from 2400−4450 m. Flowering July through October.
Mexico.
In Mexico and Guatemala this taxon was known as
Chile, Cordilleris Chilensibus, 1790,
Hermaphroditic.
This species is widespread in North America: Canada (all Provinces except New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, PEI); USA (Alaska, and all western states); Mexico (Baja California); South America (Argentina and Chile).
The species occurs in coastal chaparral communities to coniferous forests at over 1000 m elevation in Baja California. It is high polyploid (
Mexico.
Guatemala, Quezaltenango, und Sololá, Bergwold in Totonicapam und Los Encuentros, 25 Sep 1896,
Hermaphroditic.
The species is found in Guatemala and Mexico (Chiapas).
In Mexico (Chiapas) the species occurs in cool temperate forests between 2700–3600 m. Flowering September to December.
The species is rare in Mexico and is known from only three collections, but is not rare in Guatemala (14 collections seen from departments of Huehuetenango, Quezaltenango, San Marcos, Sololá, Sacatepéquez, Totonicapán).
Mexico.
The distribution for this species given by
Mexico, Chihuahua,cool ledges of La Bufa Mountain above Cusihuiriachic, 2 Sep 1887,
Hermaphroditic (often functionally pistillate).
The species occurs in the USA: Texas (Chisos Mountains) and Mexico: Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Zacatecas.
The species is found on steep protected slopes and bases of cliffs derived from igneous and calcareous substrates in the mountains, and the Chihuahuan Desert vegetation from upper creosote bush flats to middle elevations in pine-oak zones, between 1700–2800(–3195) m. The species is probably apomictic, in part, because many of the specimens have sterile, late-aborted anthers. Flowering March to July.
Mexico.
This species is endemic to the mountains in and around the Chihuahuan Desert. It ranges from the Chisos Mts. of Texas, throughout the drier mountains of Coahuila, to the front ranges of the Sierra Madre Occidental, from northern Chihuahua south to northern Durango and Zacatecas. It is highly variable in stature, leaf form, ligule and spikelet length, but we have found no correlation among the morphological characteristics, geography, and/or substrate type. Ligule length is variable from 0.5 mm in some specimens to 2.5−7.5 mm in others. Spikelet length varies independently of ligule length and blade traits.
Hermaphroditic.
The species is found in the USA (California: Channel Islands) and Mexico (Baja California).
This annual species responds to winter and spring rains and fog on the Pacific Coastal Islands of southern California and Baja California Sur. Flowering Mar through May.
Mexico.
From the time Bentham placed the species in
Mexico, Coahuila, [Sierra de Santa Rosa], Rincón de María, on Hacienda La Babia, ca. 70 road mi NW from Múzquiz,
Hermaphroditic (apparently).
The new species is known only from the type collection from the Sierra de Santa Rosa, Coahuila.
The species occurs on sheltered talus and cliff bases, in forests of
It is our pleasure to name this new species in honor of Thomas Leighton Wendt (born 1950) who collected this and many other plants (including
The species is rare.
The type collection is presumed to be a unicate (T.L.Wendt, pers. comm. 2011). The species which appears to be endemic to the Sierra de Santa Rosa, should be considered extremely rare and possibly endangered.
This taxon is a narrow endemic of the central Andes of Chile and Argentina (
This species was reported by
(*taxonomic placement supported by DNA data; vouchers from Mexico cited above)
We wish to thank the Restricted Endowment Fund, the Scholarly Studies Program, Research Opportunities, Atherton Seidell Foundation, Biodiversity Surveys and Inventories Program, and the Small Grants Program all obtained from the Smithsonian Institution; the National Science Foundation (Postdoctoral Research Fellowship to RJS) for supporting some of the fieldwork in Mexico and initial DNA study of the genus; Lynn Gillespie (CAN) for much work on