Triniochloa gracilis (Gramineae: Pooideae), a New Species from the Sierra Madre del Sur, Mexico, and a Key to the Species of the Genus Maricela Gdmez-Sdnchez Escuela de Biologfa, Universidad Autdnoma del Estado de Quer6taro, 76010 Quer6taro, Quer6taro, Mexico Manuel Gonzdlez-Ledesma and Stephen D. Koch Especialidad de Botdnica, Instituto de Reeursos Naturales, Colegio de Postgraduados, 56230 Montecillo, l^do. de Mexico, Mexico ABSTRACT. Triniochloa gracilis, a new species lower sometimes pilose, the upper shorter than their from the Sierra Madre del Sur in the Mexican states internodes. Ligules 2-5 mm long, membranaceous. of Guerrero and Oaxaca, is described and illustrat¬ Leaf blades flat, conduplicate to involute when dry, ed. The new species is distinguished from all other pilose on the upper surface, glabrous below, gen¬ species of the genus by its narrow panicles and erally 10-15 cm long and 1.3-1.7 mm wide, very short, equal glumes. A key to all of the known spe¬ reduced or absent at the lowest 2 or 3 nodes. Pan¬ cies of the genus is provided. icle erect, narrow, 5—12(—15) cm long and 3-5 mm wide, with a total of 7—15(—38) spikelets, the lowest Resumen. Se describe e ilustra como especie node with 1—5(—8) spikelets; branches and pedicels nueva a Triniochloa gracilis, proveniente de los es- appressed and glabrous to scaberulous. Spikelets tados de Guerrero y Oaxaca en la Sierra Madre del 1-floreted. Glumes equal to subequal, 1.8-3.0 mm Sur. La nueva especie es distinguida de todas las long, mostly hyaline to hyaline only near the apex. otras especies del genero por las panfculas estre- Lemmas 9—11(—12) mm long, 7-nerved, with a dor¬ chas y las glumas cortas e iguales. Se presenta una sal awn 12—16 mm long inserted on the upper half. clave para todas las especies conocidas del genero. Callus hispid, the lateral hairs longer than the dor¬ sal, sometimes exserted at the angle between the Triniochloa gracilis M. Gomez-Sanchez & M. glumes, but shorter than the glumes. Lodicules Gonzdlez-Ledesma, sp. nov. TYPE: Mexico. truncate and fused. Anthers 3, 1.5-2.7 mm long. Guerrero: Municipio de Heliodoro Castillo, 62 Caryopsis free, 4.8—6.0 mm long; hilum linear, as km de Filo de Caballo por terracerfa a Puerto long as the caryopsis. del Gallo (7 km al oeste de El Jilguero), altitud 2790 m, 4 die. 1993, M. Gonzdlez-Ledesma & Distribution and habitat. Triniochloa gracilis is C. Catalan H. 553 (holotype, CHAPA; iso¬ known only from the Sierra Madre del Sur in the types, CAS, ENCB, IEB, MEXU, MICH, MO, Mexican states of Guerrero and Oaxaca, where it QMEX, TEX, US, XAL). Figure 1. grows in pine and oak forests at an elevation be¬ tween 2700 and 3100 m. At the three sites where Plantae perennes, caespitosae, non rhizomatosae, in- it has been collected, it is locally common. novationibus extravaginalibus. Culmi gracilis, erecti vel geniculati, 30-60 cm alti, 0.5—0.8 mm diametri. Laminae Triniochloa gracilis is distinguished from all oth¬ foliomm planae, infera redactae ad nullae. Panicula er- er species of Triniochloa, except T. stipoides, by its ecta, 5—12(—15) cm longa, 3-5 mm lata, rami adpressi. very short, equal to subequal glumes. From T. sti¬ Spiculae cum glumis aequalibus vel subaequalibus, V*-Vs poides, it is easily separated by its narrow, erect lemma longitudine; lemma 9-1 1 (-12) mm longa, arista panicles, short leaf blades, and relatively small an¬ dorsale, 12—16 mm longa. Antherae 1.5—2.7 mm longae. thers. At the type locality it was growing together Plants caespitose, perennial, without rhizomes. with T. stipoides, from which it is easily distin¬ Culms 30—60 cm tall, erect or geniculate at the guished by its slender habit and narrow panicles. base, very narrow, 0.5-0.8 mm diam., the upper Paratypes. MKXICO. Guerrero: Municipio de I,eo- nodes exposed. Innovations extravaginal. Leaf nardo Bravo, 12 km de Filo de Caballo por la terracerfa sheaths with thin, hyaline, fused margins and prom¬ a Cruz de Ocote, altitud 2765 m, 3 die. 1993, M. Gon- inent nerves, glabrous to retrorsely scaberulous, the zdlez-Ijedesma A- C. Catalan H. 546 (ANSM. CHAPA, Cl I - No von 8: 144—146. 1998. Volume 8, Number 2 Gomez-Sanchez et al. 145 1998 Triniochloa gracilis from Mexico Figure ]. Triniochloa gracilis M. Gomez-Sanchez & M. Gonzalez-Ledesma (Gonzalez-Ledesma & C. Catalan H. 533). —A. Habit. —B. Panicle. —C. Spikelet. —D. Floret. DIB. COCA. ENCB, IBUG, MFXU, MICH. QMEX, US). M. Conzalez-Ledesma & C. Catalan H. 566 (CHAPA, IEB, Oaxaca: Distrito de Miahuatlan, 27 km de San Jose del MO. QMEX). Pacffico por terracerfa a Santa Maria Ozolotepec (1 km adelante de la Cieneguilla), altitud 3100 m, 8 die. 1993. The only existing key for the genus (Hitchcock, 146 Novon 1913) includes only the three species known from 1-2 per node, each with only I spikelet; Mexico at the beginning of this century. Since that known only from Merida, Venezuela . . . T. andina Luces time, T. andina, from Venezuela (Luces de Febres, 3b. Leaf blades 3—5 mm wide; plants rhizoma¬ 1953), and T. talpensis (Gonzalez-Ledesma et al., tous. 1995) and the present T. gracilis, both from Mexico, 5a. Panicles less than 15 cm long, with few¬ have been published. Consequently, the following er than 20 spikelets; leaf blades persis¬ tent after drying; rhizomes 0.8-1 mm key is presented as a means of summarizing our diam.; known only from Chihuahua, current knowledge of the genus. Mexico. T. laxa Hitchcock 5b. Panicle more than 15 cm long, with la. Glumes much shorter than the lemma. more than 30 spikelets; leaf blades, at 2a. Panicle open, lax, the branches ascending least the basal ones, deciduous upon to somewhat reflexed; glumes clearly un¬ drying; rhizomes 2-3 mm diam.; known equal, the second 0.5—1.5 mm longer than only from Jalisco, Mexico. the first and 4.5—6.0(—6.5) mm long; anthers T. talpensis M. Gonzalez-Ledesma & M. (3.8-)4—6 mm long; leaf blades usually more Gomez-S4nchez than 15 cm long; widespread, from Mexico to Bolivia .T. stipoides (HBK) Hitchcock Acknowledgments. The first and third authors 2b. Panicle narrow, erect, the branches and ped¬ join with the second author iti thanking M. C. Ces- icels appressed; glumes equal or nearly so, ario Catalan H., of the Escuela Superior de Agri- the second less than 0.3 mm longer than the first and 1.8—3.0 mm long; anthers 1.5—2.7 cultura of the Universidad Autdnoma de Guerrero, mm long; leaf blades 15 cm or less long; for his guidance, assistance, and company in the Oaxaca and Guerrero, Mexico. field with the second author. . . T. gracilis M. G6mez-S4nchez & M. Gonza¬ lez-Ledesma Literature Cited lb. Glumes, at least the second, as long as the lem¬ ma or nearly so. Gonzalez-Ledesma, M., M. G6mez-S4nchez, S. D. Koch & 3a. Leaf blades less than 2 mm wide; plants not T. Mejfa- Saules. 1995. Triniochloa talpensis (Poaceae: rhizomatous. Pooideae), a new species with deciduous leaves from 4a. Ligule up to 10 mm long; panicle Mexico. Novon 5: 36—39. branches 3-4 at most nodes, at least Hitchcock, A. S. 1913. Mexican grasses in the U.S. Na¬ some with 2-3 spikelets; known only tional Herbarium. Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 17: 181-389 from Morelos, Mexico . Luces de Febres, Z. 1953. Especies de gramfneas nuevas . T. micrantha (Scribner) Hitchcock para la ciencia. Bob Soc. Venezolana Cienc. Nat. 80: 4b. Ligule 15 mm long, panicle branches 3-29.