Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Clarifying the type of the polyphyletic genus Schizachyrium (Poaceae: Andropogoneae)

  • Published:
Kew Bulletin Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Schizachyrium Nees is one of the largest genera of the grass tribe Andropogoneae and is clearly polyphyletic, including at least three distinct lineages. For more than a century, the type of Schizachyrium has been the subject of disagreement in the literature, with most authors considering it to be S. brevifolium (Sw.) Nees ex Buse, but others accepting S. condensatum (Kunth) Nees. Our investigation confirmed that the earliest effective typification of Schizachyrium was performed by Pfeiffer (1874) and thus S. condensatum is the correct type of the genus. Elucidation of this issue is crucial for the future taxonomic rearrangements of this polyphyletic genus since its type will define which lineage will retain the generic name Schizachyrium.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arthan, W., McKain, M. R., Traiperm, P., Welker, C. A. D., Teisher, J. K. & Kellogg, E. A. (2017). Phylogenomics of Andropogoneae (Panicoideae: Poaceae) of mainland Southeast Asia. Syst. Bot. 42: 418 – 431. https://doi.org/10.1600/036364417X696023

  • Bentham, G. & Mueller, F. (1878). Flora australiensis: a description of the plants of the Australian territory, Vol. 7. L. Reeve & Co., London. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.141

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Buse, L. H. (1854). Gramineae. In: F. A. W. Miquel (ed.), Plantae junghuhnianae: enumeratio plantarum, quas, in insulis Java et Sumatra, pp. 341 – 394. A. W. Sythoff, Leiden. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.388

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Clayton, W. D. & Renvoize, S. A. (1986). Genera graminum: grasses of the world. Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Estep, M. C., McKain, M. R., Vela Diaz, D., Zhong, J., Hodge, J. G., Hodkinson, T. R., Layton, D. J., Malcomber, S. T., Pasquet, R. & Kellogg, E. A. (2014). Allopolyploidy, diversification, and the Miocene grassland expansion. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 111: 15149 – 15154. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1404177111

  • Farr, E. R., Leussink, J. A. & Stafleu, F. A. (eds) (1979). [Schizachyrium Nees]. Index Nominum Genericorum (Plantarum). Regnum Veg. 102.

  • Farr, E. R. & Zijlstra, G. (eds) (2020). [Schizachyrium Nees]. Index Nominum Genericorum (Plantarum). Available at http://botany.si.edu/ing/ (accessed 6 Oct. 2020).

  • Filgueiras, T. S. (1995). Gramineae (Poaceae). In: J. A. Rizzo (coord.), Flora dos Estados de Goiás e Tocantins, Vol. 17: 1 – 143. Editora da UFG, Goiânia.

  • Gandhi, K. N. (1989). A biosystematic study of the Schizachyrium scoparium complex. Dissertation. Texas A&M University, College Station.

  • Gandhi, K. N. & Reveal, J. L. (2010). (314 – 337) Twenty-four proposals to amend the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. Taxon 59: 1930 – 1933. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.596054

  • Gould, F. W. (1979). Poaceae. In: R. A. Howard (ed.), Flora of the Lesser Antilles, Vol. 3: 25 – 220. Harvard University, Jamaica Plain.

  • Hackel, E. (1883). Gramineae IV, Andropogoneae, Tristegineae. In: C. F. P. Martius & A. G. Eichler (eds), Flora brasiliensis, Vol. 2, pt. 3: 245 – 326. F. Fleischer, Munich & Leipzig. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.454

  • Hitchcock, A. S. (1920). The genera of grasses of the United States, with special reference to the economic species. U.S.D.A. Bull. 772: 1 – 306. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.64674

  • IPNI (International Plant Names Index) (2020). [Schizachyrium Nees]. Available at: https://www.ipni.org/n/328294-2. (accessed 6 Oct. 2020).

  • Judziewicz, E. J. (1990). Poaceae (Gramineae). In: A. R. A. Görts-van Rijn (ed.), Flora of the Guianas, series A, fascicle 8: 1 – 727. Koeltz Scientific Books, Koenigstein.

  • Kellogg, E. A. (2015). Poaceae. In: K. Kubitzki (ed.), The families and genera of vascular plants, Vol. XIII: 1 – 416. Springer International, Cham.

  • Kellogg, E. A., Abbott, J. R., Bawa, K. S., Gandhi, K. N., Kailash, B. R., Ganeshaiah, K. N., Shrestha, U. B. & Raven, P. (2020). Checklist of the grasses of India. PhytoKeys 163: 1 – 560. https://doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.163.38393

  • Manrique, E. A. (1994). The genus Schizachyrium in Mexico and Central America. Dissertation. Texas A&M University, College Station.

  • McAllister, C. A., McKain, M. R., Li, M., Bookout, B. & Kellogg, E. A. (2018). Specimen based analysis of morphology and the environment in ecologically dominant grasses: the power of the herbarium. Philos. Trans., Ser. B 374: 20170403. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2017.0403

  • McNeill, J., Barrie, F. R., Buck, W. R., Demoulin, V., Greuter, W., Hawksworth, D. L., Herendeen, P. S., Knapp, S., Marhold, K., Prado, J., Prud’Homme Van Reine, W. F., Smith, G. F., Wiersema, J. H. & Turland, N. J. (eds) (2012). International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Melbourne Code): adopted by the Eighteenth International Botanical Congress Melbourne, Australia, July 2011. Regnum Veg. 154. Koeltz Scientific Books, Königstein.

  • McNeill, J., Barrie, F. R., Gandhi, K. N., Hollowell, V. C., Redhead, S. A., Söderström, L. & Zarucchi, J. L. (2016). (391 – 396) Proposals to amend the provisions of the Code on selection of types of generic names using a largely mechanical method. Taxon 65: 1441 – 1442. https://doi.org/10.12705/656.30

  • Nash, G. V. (1912). Poaceae. In: N. L. Britton, W. A. Murrill & J. H. Barnhart (eds), North American flora, Vol. 17, pt. 2: 99 – 196. The New York Botanical Garden, New York.

  • Nees, C. G. D. (1829). Agrostologia brasiliensis. In: C. F. P. Martius (ed.), Flora brasiliensis seu enumeratio plantarum, Vol. 2: 1 – 608. J. G. Cottae, Stuttgart & Tübingen. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.6159

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson Sutherland, C. H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Honduras: Espermatofitas. Secretaría de Recursos Naturales y Ambiente, Tegucigalpa.

  • Peichoto, M. C. (2010). Revisión taxonómica de las especies del género Schizachyrium (Poaceae: Andropogoneae) de Sudamérica. Candollea 65: 301 – 346. https://doi.org/10.15553/c2010v652a9

  • Pfeiffer, L. K. G. (1871). Nomenclator botanicus, Vol. 1, pt. 1. Sumptibus Theodori Fischeri, Kassel. https://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/idurl/1/11813

  • Pfeiffer, L. K. G. (1874). Nomenclator botanicus, Vol. 2, pt. 2. Sumptibus Theodori Fischeri, Kassel. https://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/idurl/1/11816

  • Skendzic, E. M., Columbus, J. T. & Cerros-Tlatilpa, R. (2007). Phylogenetics of Andropogoneae (Poaceae: Panicoideae) based on nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer and chloroplast trnL-F sequences. Aliso 23: 530 – 544. https://doi.org/10.5642/aliso.20072301.40

  • Smith, L. B., Wasshausen, D. C. & Klein, R. M. (1982). Gramíneas. Gêneros: 85. Paspalum até 115. Zea. In: R. Reitz (ed.), Flora Ilustrada Catarinense, pp. 909 – 1408. Herbário Barbosa Rodrigues, Itajaí.

    Google Scholar 

  • Soreng, R. J., Peterson, P. M., Romaschenko, K., Davidse, G., Teisher, J. K., Clark, L. G., Barberá, P., Gillespie, L. J. & Zuloaga, F. O. (2017). A worldwide phylogenetic classification of the Poaceae (Gramineae) II: an update and a comparison of two 2015 classifications. J. Syst. Evol. 55: 259 – 290. https://doi.org/10.1111/jse.12262

  • Tropicos (2020). [Schizachyrium Nees]. Available at: https://www.tropicos.org/name/40031614. (accessed 6 Oct. 2020).

  • Turland, N. J., Wiersema, J. H., Barrie, F. R., Greuter, W., Hawksworth, D. L., Herendeen, P. S., Knapp, S., Kusber, W.-H., Li, D.-Z., Marhold, K., May, T. W., McNeill, J., Monro, A. M., Prado, J., Price, M. J. & Smith, G. F. (eds) (2018). International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Shenzhen Code): adopted by the Nineteenth International Botanical Congress Shenzhen, China, July 2017. Regnum Veg. 159. Koeltz Botanical Books, Glashütten. https://doi.org/10.12705/Code.2018

  • Watson, L. & Dallwitz, M. J. (1992). The grass genera of the world. C.A.B. International, Wallingford.

  • Welker, C. A. D., Fieker, C. Z. & Peichoto, M. C. (2019). A new variety of Schizachyrium (Poaceae: Andropogoneae) from South America, with notes on the infraspecific taxa of Schizachyrium tenerum. Phytotaxa 403: 55 – 65. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.403.1.5

  • Welker, C. A. D. & Longhi-Wagner, H. M. (2012). Sinopse do gênero Schizachyrium Nees (Poaceae–Andropogoneae) no estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Iheringia, Sér. Bot. 67: 199 – 223.

    Google Scholar 

  • Welker, C. A. D., McKain, M. R., Estep, M. C., Pasquet, R. S., Chipabika, G., Pallangyo, B. & Kellogg, E. A. (2020). Phylogenomics enables biogeographic analysis and a new subtribal classification of Andropogoneae (Poaceae–Panicoideae). J. Syst. Evol. 58: 1003 – 1030. https://doi.org/10.1111/jse.12691

  • Zanin, A. & Longhi-Wagner, H. M. (2011). Revisão de Andropogon (Poaceae – Andropogoneae) para o Brasil. Rodriguésia 62: 171 – 202. https://doi.org/10.1590/2175-7860201162112

  • Zuloaga, F. O., Morrone, O., Davidse, G., Filgueiras, T. S., Peterson, P. M., Soreng, R. J. & Judziewicz, E. J. (2003). Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae): III. Subfamilies Panicoideae, Aristidoideae, Arundinoideae and Danthonioideae. Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 46: 1 – 662.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zuloaga, F. O., Rúgolo, Z. E. & Anton, A. M. (eds) (2012). Flora Argentina, Vol. 3, Monocotyledoneae, Poaceae, tome I, Aristidoideae–Pharoideae. Graficamente Ediciones, Córdoba.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The first author thanks Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, Brazil) for grants and fellowships (426334/2018-3, 150896/2019-0), and Harvard University for HUH Travel Grant to visit and curate its herbarium collection.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Instituto de Biologia, Rua Ceará s/n, CEP, 38400-902, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil

    Cassiano A. D. Welker

  2. Instituto de Botânica, Herbário, C.P. 68041, CEP, 04045-972, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Jefferson Prado

  3. Universidade Estadual Paulista, IBILCE, Depto. de Zoologia e Botânica, Rua Cristóvão Colombo 2265, CEP, 15054-000, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil

    Jefferson Prado

  4. Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 North Warson Road, St. Louis, Missouri, 63132, USA

    Elizabeth A. Kellogg

  5. Harvard University, 22 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138, USA

    Kanchi N. Gandhi

Authors
  1. Cassiano A. D. Welker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jefferson Prado
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Elizabeth A. Kellogg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kanchi N. Gandhi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cassiano A. D. Welker.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Welker, C.A.D., Prado, J., Kellogg, E.A. et al. Clarifying the type of the polyphyletic genus Schizachyrium (Poaceae: Andropogoneae). Kew Bull 76, 327–331 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-021-09939-2

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12225-021-09939-2

Key Words

Search

Navigation