Status
- Native, though many genera have been introduced into cultivation or have become naturalized (See 'Number of genera').
General notes
Notes on the subfamilies and their distribution in the Neotropics
- Poaceae is presently divided into 12 subfamilies (Clark, 2009): Anomochlooideae, Pharoideae, Puelioideae, Bambusoideae, Erhartoideae, Pooideae, Danthonioideae, Arundinoideae, Micrairoideae, Aristidoideae, Chloridoideae and Panicoideae. The first four subfamilies occur mainly in forests, frequently with pseudopetiolate leaves, and their photosynthetic pathway is C3 (Bambusoideae) or presumed C3 (GPWG, 2001).
- The representatives of the other subfamilies occur predominantly in open savannas and grasslands and present generally linear and not pseudopetiolate leaves, with C3 or C4 photosynthesis, depending on the subfamily. Of these subfamilies only Puelioideae is not represented in the Neotropics.
Anomochlooideae is the most basal lineage in Poaceae, and includes two Neotropical genera: Anomochloa Brong., a monospecific genus with A. marantoidea Brong. endemic from the Atlantic Forest in the Southern Bahia, Brazil, and Streptochaeta Schrad., including about three neotropical forest species (Judziewicz et al., 2000). A. marantoidea Brong. is included in the Brazilian list of endangered species (MMA, 2008). The reproductive structures of these species are not considered as being true spikelets (GPWG, 2001). Aristidoideae includes three genera: Sartidia de Winter, with four African species and photosynthesis C3; Stipagrostis Nees, with ca. 50 African and Asian species and with C4 photosynthesis; and Aristida L., with ca. 250 species widespread in the tropics of the Old World and in the Neotropics. Until recently all the species of Aristida were mentioned as C4, with a double Kranz sheath around the vascular bundles, a unique characteristic among the Poaceae (Brown, 1977; Hattersley, 1986). However, recently Cerros-Talipa & Columbus (2009) found one C3 species, A. longifolia Trin., from Neotropical savannas and "cerrados". In the Neotropics there are about 130 species of Aristida (Zuloaga et al., 2003).Arundinoideae circumscription has changed very much in the taxonomic history of Poaceae. In its present circumscription it includes 33 to 38 species, all with photosynthesis C3 (GPWG, 2001). The tribe Arundineae, presently with a circumscription identical to the subfamily (GPWG, 2001), is cosmopolitan but best developed in southern latitudes (Clayton & Renvoize, 1986). In the Neotropics there are four genera, three of them introduced (Zuloaga et al., 2003)., and only Phragmites Adans., a cosmopolitan genus with three to four species (Clayton & Renvoize, 1986) includes a native member [P. australis (Nees) Döll].Bambusoideae representatives occur predominantly in forests, although some genera present species growing in open grasslands especially in high altitudes, e.g. the genus Chusquea Kunth, and are C3, as the three subfamilies mentioned above. Bambusoideae presents a very high richness, with ca. 1,400 species (Clark, 2009) and includes two traditional groups, the lignified bamboos (tribe Bambuseae), very diverse in the Neotropics, and the herbaceous bamboos (tribe Olyreae), almost restricted to this region, except by Olyra latifolia L., also occurring in Africa (native or introduced?) and Burgersiochloa Pilger, monospecific and endemic from New Guinea (Clayton & Renvoize, 1986). Bamboos are highly diverse in the Atlantic Rain Forest, Brazil, including four genera endemic from Olyreae (Oliveira et al., 2006) and only one from Bambuseae (Judziewicz et al., 2000). It is well represented in the Amazonian Forest as well, but more collections are needed in this area. Chloridoideae includes ca. 1,400 species (GPWG, 2001) from the paleotropics and Neotropics, mostly with C4 photosynthesis (only one African species of Eragrostis Wolf and one of Merxmuellera Conert known as C3, according to GPWG, 2001). These species occur mainly in open grasslands and savannas, and only a few species occur at the borders of forests. In the Neotropics there about 70 genera and 650 species (Peterson et al., 2001).Danthonioideae includes ca. 250 species, with C3 photosynthesis (GPWG, 2001), mainly from Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. It is represented in the New World by Cortaderia Stapf, Danthonia DC. and Rytidosperma Steud., including mainly extra-tropical species with a distribution similar to the Pooideae subfamily, and the introduced genera Schismus P. Beauv. and Tribolium Desv. (Zuloaga et al., 2003).Erhartoideae includes about 120 species (GPWG, 2001) from humid to flooded areas, widespread in the tropics and subtropics of the world, with C3 photosynthesis. In the Neotropics eight small genera are found, one of them introduced (Ehrharta Thunb.) and another extra-tropical (Zizania L., according to Judziewicz et al., 2000).Micrairoideae includes ca.170 species mainly from Australia and Asia, less common in the Neotropics, occurring in open savannas and grasslands and in the borders of forests, with C3 or C4 photosynthesis (Sanchez-Ken et al., 2007). It is represented in the Neotropics by the genus Isachne R. Br. (previously included in the Panicoideae subfamily) that includes ca. 100 species mostly from Tropical Asia (Clayton & Renvoize, 1986) and three to four species from the Neotropics. Panicoideae presents the highest richness of species within Poaceae, comprising ca. 3,270 species (GPWG, 2001) widespread in the tropics and subtropics, many C4, with three biochemical subtypes, according to Brown (1977) and Hattersley (1986), but also including several C3 species. These species belong especially to the tribe Paniceae, with most members in open areas and some groups from forests, and the tribe Andropogoneae, mainly from open areas. Paniceae from forests are often C3, but some species from open and arid areas are also C3 in this group, as in the "campos rupestres" of Southeastern Brazil, e.g. in Apochloa Zuloaga & Morrone and Renvoizea Zuloaga & Morrone (Sede et al., 2008). Likewise, Echinolaenainflexa (Poir.) Chase, a species typical of the "cerrados" in Central and Southeastern Brazil, is also C3. In the Neotropics there are ca. 120 genera (Zuloaga et al., 2003).Pharoideae is the next divergent lineage of Poaceae (GPWG, 2001), with true spikelets, these being unisexual and bearing only one staminate or one pistillate flower. This subfamily includes three genera and 12 species (GPWG, 2001) occurring both in the Neotropics and in the tropics of the Old World. The genus Pharus Browne is the only Neotropical genus, with ca. five forest species (Judziewicz et al., 2000).Pooideae includes ca. 3,300 species (GPWG, 2001), all C3, in open grasslands, occurring especially in extra-tropical areas. Soreng et al. (2003) indicated 121 genera in the New World, 82 native and 39 cultivated. Many members occur in the Andean Mountains. In Brazil, most species also occur in extra-tropical grasslands. Only a small number of these species extend to the Neotropical grasslands in the mountains of Southeastern Brazil.
Number of genera
There is no citation of an exact number of genera and species of New World Poaceae. The following estimates were published in the four volumes of the Catalogue of New World Grasses:
- Subfamilies Anomochlooideae, Bambusoideae, Ehrhartoideae, and Pharoideae - 72 genera (51 native) and 608 species (509 native) (Judziewicz et al., 2000).
- Subfamily Chloridoideae - 70 genera (62 native) and 672 species (604 native) (Peterson et al., 2001).
- Subfamily Pooideae - 121 genera (82 native) and 1526 species (1311 native) (Soreng et al., 2003). Subfamilies Panicoideae, Aristidoideae, Arundinoideae, and Danthonioideae - 119 genera (93 native) and 1613 species (1465 native) (Zuloaga et al., 2003).
Genera of Poaceae ocurring in the Neotropics (* non native in the Neotropics, with adventitious or cultivated species)
AnomochlooideaeAnomochloa Brongn.Streptochaeta Schrad. ex Nees
AristidoideaeAristida L.
ArundinoideaeArundo L.*Molinia Schrank.*Phragmites Adans.
BambusoideaeActinocladum McClure ex Soderstr.Agnesia Zuloaga & Judz.Alvimia C.E.Calderón ex Soderstr. & LondoñoApoclada McClureArberella Soderstr. & C.E. CalderónArthrostylidium Rupr.Arundinaria Michx. Athroostachys Benth.Atractantha McClureAulonemia GoudotBambusa Schreb.*Cephalostachyum Munro*Chimonobambusa Makin*Chusquea KunthColanthelia McClure & L.B.Sm.Cryptochloa SwallenDrendrocalamopsis (L.C. Chia & H.L. Fung) Keng f.*Dendrocalamus Nees*Drepanostachyum Keng f. *Diandrolyra StapfEkmanocloa Hitchc.Elytrostachys McClureEremitis DöllEremocaulon Soderstr. & LondoñoFargesia Franch. *Filgueirasia GualaFroesiochloa G.A. BlackGigantochloa Kurz ex Munro*Glaziophyton Franch.Guadua KunthIndocalamus Nakai*Lithachne P. Beauv.Maclurolyra C.E. Calderón & Soderstr.Melocanna Trin.*Merostachys Spreng.Mniochloa ChaseMyriocladus SwallenOchlandra Thwaites*Olmeca Soderstr.Olyra L.Otatea (McClure & E.W. Sm.) C. E. Calderón & Soderstr. *Pariana Aubl.Parodiolyra Soderstr. & ZuloagaPhyllostachys Siebold & Zucc.*Piresia SwallenPiresiella Judz., Zuloaga & MorronePleioblastus Nakai*Pseudosasa Makino ex Nakai*Raddia Bertol.Raddiella SwallenRehia FitjenReitzia SwallenRhipidocladum McClureSasa Makino & Shibata*Schizostachyum Nees*Semiarundinaria Makino ex Nakai*Sucrea Soderstr.
ChloridoideaeAegopogon Humb. & Bonpl.Allolepis Soderstr.Bealia Scribn.Blepharidachne Hack.Blepharoneuron NashBouteloua Lag.Calamovilfa (A. Gray) Hack. ex Scribn. & Southw.Chaboissaea E. Fourn.Chladoraphis Franch.Chloris Sw.Cottea KunthCrypsis AitonCtenium Panz.Cynodon Rich.Dactyloctenium Willd.*Dasyochloa Willd. ex Rydb.Dinebra Jacq.*Distichlis Raf.Eleusine Gaertn.Enneapogon Desv. ex P. Beauv.*Enteropogon NeesEragrostis WolfErioneuron NashEustachys Desv.Fingerhuthia NeesGouinia E. Fourn. ex Benth.Gymnopogon P. Beauv.Hilaria KunthJouvea E. Fourn.Leptochloa P.Beauv.Leptothrium KunthLepturidium Hitchc. & EkmanLycurus KunthMicrochloa R. Br. Monanthochloe Engelm.Muhlenbergia Schreb.Neesiochloa Pilg.Neobouteloua GouldNeostapfia Burtt DavyNeyraudia Hook. f.Orcuttia VaseyPappophorum Schreb.Pereilema J.PreslPleuraphis Torr.*Redfieldia VaseyReederochloa Soderstr. & H.F. DeckerRheochloa Filg. et al.Saugetia Hitchc. & ChaseSchaffnerella NashSchdonnardus Steud.Scleropogon Phil.Sohnsia Airy ShawSpartina Schreb.Sporobolus R. Br.Steirachne EkmanSwallenia Soderstr. & H.F. DeckerTetrachne Nees*Tragus Haller*Trichloris E. Fourn.Trchoneura AnderssonTridens Roem. & Schult.Triplasis P. Beauv.Tripogon Roem. & Schult.Triraphis R.Br.Tuctoria ReederUniola L.Vaseyochloa Hitchc.Willkommia Hack.Zoysia Willd.
DanthonioideaeCortaderia StapfDanthonia DC.Hakonechloa Makino ex HondaLamphrothyrsus Pilg.Rytidosperma Steud.Schismus P. Beauv.* Tribolium Desv.*
EhrhartoideaeEhrharta Thunb.* Leersia Sol. ex Sw.Luziola Juss.Oryza L.Rhynchoryza Baill.Streptogyna P. Beauv.Zizaniopsis Döll & Asch.
PanicoideaeAchlaena Griseb.Acostia SwallenAcroceras StapfAgenium NeesAlloteropsis J. PreslAltoparadisium Filg. et al. Amphicarpum KunthAndropogon L.Anthaenantia P. Beauv.Anthaenantiopsis Mez ex Pilg.Anthephora Schreb.Apluda L.Apochloa Zuloaga & MorroneArthraxon P. Beauv.Arthropogon NeesArundinella RaddiArundoclaytonia Davidse & R.P. EllisAxonopus P. Beauv.Bothriochloa KuntzeBrachiaria (Trin.) Griseb.*Calderonella Soderstr. & H.F. Decker Canastra Morrone et al.Cenchrus L.Centrochloa SwallenChaetium NeesChasmanthium LinkChrysopogon Trin.Coix L.*Cymbopogon Spreng.*Cyrtococcum Stapf*Cyphonanthus Zuloaga & MorroneDichanthelium (Hitchc. & Chase) GouldDichantium WillemetDigitaria HallerEchinochloa P. Beauv.Echinolaena Desv.Elionurus Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.Elymandra StapfEremochloa Büse*Eriochloa KunthEriochrysis P. Beauv. Euclasta Franch*Gerritea Zuloaga, Morrone & KilleenGynerium Willd. ex P. Beauv. Hemarthria R. Br.Heteropogon Pers.Homolepis ChaseHopia Zuloaga & MorroneHymenachne P. Beauv.Hyparrhenia Andersson ex E. Fourn.Hyperthelia ClaytonIchnanthus P. Beauv.Imperata CirilloIsachne R. Br.Ischaemum L.Ixophorus Schltdl. Karroochloa Conert & Türpe*Keratochlaena Morrone & ZuloagaLasiacis (Griseb.) Hitchc.Loudetia Hochst. ex Steud.Loudetiopsis ConertMegathyrsus (Pilg.) B.K. Simon & S.W.L. Jacobs*Melinis P. Beauv.*Mesosetum Steud.Microstegium Nees*Miscanthus AnderssonMnesithea KunthOcellochloa Zuloaga & MorroneOncorachis Morrone & ZuloagaOphiochloa Filg.,Davidse & ZuloagaOplismenopsis ParodiOplismenus P. Beauv.Orthoclada P. Beauv.Otachyrium NeesPanicum L.Paratheria Griseb.Parodiophyllochloa Zuloaga & MorronePaspalidium StapfPaspalum L.Pennisetum Rich.Phanopyrum (Raf.) NashPlagiantha RenvoizePogonatherum P. Beauv.*Pohlidium Davidse, Soderstr. & R.P. EllisPolytrias Hack.*Pseudechinolaena StapfReimarochloa Hitchc.Renvoizea Zuloaga & MorroneReynaudia KunthRhytachne Desv. ex Ham.Rottboellia L.f.*Rupichloa Salariato & MorroneSaccharum L.Sacciolepis NashSchizachyrium NeesScutachne Hitchc. & ChaseSetaria P. Beauv.Setariopsis Scribn.Sorghastrum NashSorghum Moench*Spheneria Kuhlm.Spodiopogon Trin.*Steinchisma Raf.Stenotaphrum Trin.Steyermarkochloa Davidse & R.P. EllisStreptostachys Desv.Tatianyx Zuloaga & Soderstr.Themeda Forssk.*Thrasyopsis ParodiThysanolaena NeesTrachypogon NeesTripsacum L.Triscenia Griseb.Tristachya NeesUrochloa P. Beauv.Zea L.Zeugites P. BrowneZuloagaea Bess.
PharoideaePharus P. Browne
PooideaeAgrostis L.Aira L.Amphibromus NeesAnthoxanthum L.*Arrhenatherum P. Beauv.Avena L.*Briza L. Bromus L. Calamagrostis Adans.Catapodium Link*Chascolytrum Desv.Dactylis L.*Deschampsia (L.) P. Beauv.Erianthecium ParodiFestuca L. Glyceria R. Br.Hainardia GreuterHolcus L.*Hordeum L. Lagurus L.Lolium L.*Melica L.Phalaris L.Phleum L.Piptochaetium J. PreslPoa L. Polypogon Desf.Rostraria Trin.Schedonorus P. Beauv.Secale L.*Stipa L.Trisetum Pers.Triticum L.*Vulpia C.C. Gmel.
Important literature
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Soreng, R.J., Peterson, P.M., Davidse, G., Judziewicz, E.J., Zuloaga, F.O., Filgueiras, T.S. & Morrone, O. 2003. Catalogue of New Word Grasses (Poaceae): IV. Subfamily Pooideae. Washington, National Museum of Natural History, Washington.
Soreng, R.J., Davidse, G., Peterson, P.M., Zuloaga, F.O., Judziewicz, E.J., Filgueiras, T.S. & Morrone, O. 2003 and onwards. On-line taxonomic novelties and updates, distributional additions and corrections, and editorial changes since the four published volumes of the Catalogue of New World Grasses (Poaceae). Published in Contributions of the United States National Herbarium, vols. 39, 41, 46, and 48. Internet Catalog of New World Grasses http://www.tropicos.org/Project/CNWG.
Zuloaga, F.O., Morrone, O., Davidse, G., Filgueiras, T.S., Peterson, P.M. Soreng, R. & Judziewicz, E. 2003. Catalogue of New World grasses (Poaceae): III. Subfamilies Panicoideae, Aristidoideae, Arundinoideae and Danthonioideae. National Museum of Natural History, Washington.