Morphometric and taxonomic study of the native Chilean species of genus Anthoxanthum (Poaceae, Pooideae, Poeae, Anthoxanthinae)

Abstract

A morphometric study was carried out to delimit the species of genus Anthoxanthum native to Chile, using 261 herbarium specimens. Through uni and multivariate statistical analyzes based on morphological and anatomical characters, together with the micromorphological study of the abaxial epidermis of the lemma and adaxial epidermis of the leaves, seen under a scanning electron microscope, it was possible to circumscribe six of the nine species described: Anthoxanthum juncifolium, A. moorei, A. pusillum, A. redolens, A. spicatum and A. utriculatum. New combinations are established for Hierochloe moorei and H. quebrada under Anthoxanthum. Anthoxanthum altissimum and A. gunckelii are treated as varieties within A. utriculatum and A. redolens, respectively. Hierochloe sorianoi is treated as synonym of A. redolens var. redolens. A key for the identification of the taxa, maps, distribution data, and morphometric descriptions of the vegetative and reproductive parts of the epidermis in surface view and the cross section of the leaf for each taxon are included.