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Ancient dental calculus represents one of the most recent and innovative sources of archaeobotanical record. Exploring this matrix, diet, past ecology, and ethnobotanical practices of antique communities may be elucidated. In the present case-study, the tartar of an Imperial Roman man, likely a salt worker, found in the necropolis of Castel Malnome (Rome, Latium, Italy) and affected by bilateral temporo-mandibular joint ankylosis, was investigated. Despite his rare and extremely disabling affection, this male individual reached adulthood thanks to the forced removal of the anterior teeth, which allowed him to eat. Starches of Poeae and Triticeae tribe were detected, although the largest amount of the granules appeared gelatinized, suggesting that maybe the inhumate consumed well-cooked and semi-liquid stuff, due to his non-functional masticatory activity. Urticaceae and clover pollen grains documented unintentional aspiration or voluntary use of these plants as ingredients for meals and therapeutic decoctions. Indeed, since Roman times, written sources have documented nettle as an anti-inflammatory remedy to treat joint and muscle pains. Finally, the identification of secondary metabolites ascribable to the Brassicaceae family, Artemisia L., and Ephedra L. genera, paves the way for hypothesizing the consumption of these Mediterranean species with several nutritional and nutraceutical properties. All this evidence opens a picture window onto the life of this man, which should be well integrated into his community and natural environment despite the functional impairment.

We conducted a biogeographic analysis of the PPAM clade of Poeae Plastid DNA Group 2, which includes 12 subtribes of C-3 grasses. One hundred and eighty-four species sampled represent 42 of 43 accepted genera and taxonomic diversity in large genera. We analyzed plastid sequences of matK, trnC-rpoB, and trnT-trnL-trnF using BEAST to produce a dated tree and MrBayes to produce a Bayesian tree, on which we ran Bayesian-Binary-Markov-Chain analyses on a worldwide biogeographic data set of 12 areas. PPAM split in southwestern Asia into subtribe Coleanthinae and PAM clades in the Early Miocene. PAM diversified rapidly in the Middle Miocene in southwestern Asia into four monogeneric lineages, Avenulinae, Phleinae, Miliinae, Poinae, and the Alopecurinae superclade (seven subtribes with 27 genera). In the Late Miocene, Pliocene, and mostly Pleistocene, the latter four lineages diversified and dispersed across Eurasia and established in North America. Dispersals to the southern hemisphere occurred in the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Annuals occur in 15 Mediterranean and southwestern Asia genera, but in few genera in other regions. Beyond phylogenetically isolated annual species dating to the Miocene, all other annuals evolved in the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Cold tolerance is high among perennial species, many occurring in the alpine, nine genera ranging into the Arctic. We suggest that alpine and subalpine habitats were ancestral. High tolerance of saline and alkaline conditions arose between the Pliocene and Pleistocene in Coleanthinae, Alopecurinae, Poinae, Hookerochloinae, Beckmanniinae, and Arctopoa. Combinations are proposed for Cornucopiae alopecuroides in Alopecurus and for Paracolpodium colchicum in Hyalopodium. A nothogenus x Catanellia is proposed for Catabrosa x Puccinellia.

A taxonomic revision of the genus Podagrostis (Griseb.) Scribn. & Merr. is presented, including two new combinations: P. meridensis (Luces) A. M. Molina & Rúgolo and P. novogaliciana (McVaugh) A. M. Molina & Rúgolo. Podagrostis bacillata (Hack.) Sylvester & Soreng constitutes a new report for Colombia. Information regarding synonymy, geographical distribution, habitat, iconography, and vernacular names is provided along with complete illustrations and a list of additional specimens examined. A key for the identification of the species is included as well as a comparative table based on macro- and micromorphological data. The anatomical character of Trichodium net on lemma epidermis, as well as its diagnostic value, is discussed in species of Podagrostis and most related genera (e.g., Agrostis L., Chaetotropis Kunth, and Polypogon Desf., among others).

The subtribe Loliinae is one of the largest subtribes of Poeae with about 600 species. Festuca is a large genus with close relations to other genera as Lolium, Castellia, and Vulpia. The taxonomic history of the Festuca-Lolium species group is very complicated. The polyploidy and hybridization make it more confusing. Due to the morphological similarities between genera identification is very difficult, the aim of the present study is to provide the taxonomic characters for the delimitation of the taxa of subtribe Loliinae. We used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques for the evaluation of the lemma and palea surface micromorphology for 33 species of this subtribe. Multivariate statistical analysis was used to show the species groupings. Factor analysis based on the principal component analysis showed the diagnostic importance of each of the characters. The lemma and palea epidermal patterns of Castellia, Festuca, and Lolium were examined, and results revealed that Lolium and Vulpia sensu lato species made separate groups nested in the Festuca clusters. The length of the long cell of the lemma, prickle in the lemma and palea, the wall shape of long cells of the lemma, wax type, silica bodies of lemma and palea, and the short cells in palea were important diagnostic characters for the species studied. The measured and evaluated set of lemma and palea micromorphological features was unable to provide the delimitation of the Festuca genus as subgeneric or sectional level. Present observations illustrated a heterogeneous assemblage as Festuca that needs further study for delimitation.

Kashmir Himalayas harbour tremendous floristic diversity marked by a high degree of compositional heterogeneity and endemism especially among grasses (Poaceae). The present paper adds alien species Catapodium rigidum (L.) C. E. Hubbard to grass floristics of the region. With an origin in Eurasia and natural distribution in circum-Mediterranean region, the species is an alien with sporadic occurrence in the area of study. It is diagnosed by the presence of 3–10 floreted spikelets and 1–3 mm long obtuse ligule. In the present work, taxonomic description of the species in the latest formats of grass description has been supplemented with illustrations of diagnostic parts, spikelet diagram and spikelet formula. The structure of the caryopsis and the unit of dispersal (diaspore) has also been described. A comparison of diagnostic parts of all the four species of the genus has been utilized to prepare a key to identification of all the four species of the genus.

The genus Festuca L. (subtribe Loliinae), which encompasses about 500 species, is one of the largest genera of the Poeae tribe and is distributed worldwide. The taxonomy of the genus Festuca and the subtribe Loliinae remains a subject of debate until now. Taking into account that the comparison of the 5S rDNA intergenic spacer (IGS) sequences is successfully used to estimate genetic distances between closely related plant taxa, we evaluated the possibility of its application in the study of the phylogeny of the Loliinae subtribe. Accordingly, we cloned and sequenced this region of F. ovina (subgenus Festuca) and F. carpatica (subgenus Leucopoa) genomes and compared them with the 5S rDNA of Lolium perenne and other members of the tribe Poeae. It was found that the genomes of F. ovina and F. carpatica contain only one structural class of 5S rDNA repeats. The level of IGS similarity between the two studied Festuca species ranges from 80.2 to 81.7%, and between these species and L. perenne—from 62.5 to 70.1%. Species of the genera Festuca and Lolium form a highly-supported monophyletic group on the phylodendrogram, which indicates their origin from a common ancestor. The high rate of the IGS evolution allows using of this nuclear genome region in studies on the molecular taxonomy of the subtribe Loliinae.

The present and literature data showed that Meromyza flies developed on grasses from 5 tribes: Poeae, Triticeae, Bromeae, Nardeae, Arundinarieae. The preference of host plants for 25, mainly Western Palaearctic species of Meromyza flies was analyzed: 11 species developed on grasses of the tribe Poeae, 4 – on Triticeae, 9 – on grasses from different tribes, 1 species developed on bamboo. A phylogenetic tree based on the mtDNA CO1 gene locus was constructed in the BEAST for 28 species of Meromyza flies, for 8 species of Drosophila and Campiglossa pygmaea . The host plants were known for 19 species Meromyza flies out of 28 studied species. An overview of the evolution of grasses is given. By the possible time of the genus Meromyza origin (not earlier than the middle of the Miocene), based on the known evolutionary scale of Drosophila , the Pooideae grasses had already been isolated and division into tribes occured. The features of non-specialized phytophage-oligophage (except M. acuminata ) confirmed by the wide spectrum of host plants have been supposed for species close to ancestral haplotypes ( M. nigriseta , M. pratorum , M. saltatrix , M. variegata ) or representing independent branches in their clusters ( M. acuminata , M. mosquensis , M. nigriventris ). The differentiation of Meromyza genus with formation of new species with narrow oligophagy or monophagy was associated with adaptation to other wild grasses following the formation and increase in the abundance of “core pooids” (Triticodae + Poodae) grasses and the spread of herbal biomes in the Miocene. Oligophages M. nigriventris , M. nigriseta , M. variegata and monophages M. acuminata , M. grandifemoris damage cereal cultivars.

The wavy hair-grass, Avenella flexuosa (L.) Drejer (also known as Deschampsia flexuosa (L.) Trin. or Lerchenfeldia flexuosa (L.) Schur), is a species of perennial herbaceous plant of the Poaceae family that is widespread in Eurasia, Africa, North and South America. Whether this species belongs to the Deschampsia genus has long been an open question. Taking into account that the 5S rDNA comparison is a convenient tool in the molecular taxonomy of plants, we cloned and sequenced this region of the A. flexuosa genome and evaluated the genetic distances between this species and other species of the Poeae tribe. It has been found that at least two structural classes of 5S rDNA repeats are present in the A. flexuosa genome. The spacer regions in the 5S rDNA of A. flexuosa and D. antarctica have a low level of similarity that does not exceed the level of similarity with representatives of several other genera of the Poeae tribe. The 5S rDNA clones of A. flexuosa and D. antarctica form two distinct clades on the phyllodendogram. Taking together, our results support the idea that A. flexuosa belongs to a separate genus Avenella.

Evidence for ancestral gene transfer between Epichloë fungal endophyte ancestors and their host grass species is described. From genomes of cool-season grasses (the Poeae tribe), two Epichloë-originated genes were identified through DNA sequence similarity analysis. The two genes showed 96% and 85% DNA sequence identities between the corresponding Epichloë genes. One of the genes was specific to the Loliinae sub-tribe. The other gene was more widely conserved in the Poeae and Triticeae tribes, including wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). The genes were independently transferred during the last 39 million years. The transferred genes were expressed in plant tissues, presumably retaining molecular functions. Multiple gene transfer events between the specific plant and fungal lineages are unique. A range of cereal crops is included in the Poeae and Triticeae tribes, and the Loliinae sub-tribe is consisted of economically important pasture and forage crops. Identification and characterisation of the 'natural' adaptation transgenes in the genomes of cereals, and pasture and forage grasses, that worldwide underpin the production of major foods, such as bread, meat, and milk, may change the ‘unnatural’ perception status of transgenic and gene-edited plants.

Phylogenetic position of the unique grass genus Coleanthus within the tribe Poeae s. str. is discussed based on molecular phylogenetic analysis of the marker sequences, ITS and trnL–trnF. Moreover, taxa more or less related to Coleanthus were involved in our study for the maximal accuracy of the molecular phylogenetic analysis. Subtribe Coleanthinae (=Puccinelliinae) is monophyletic according to both datasets, nuclear and chloroplast genes, that probably shows certain evolutionary distance from other Poeae s. str. We confirmed the results of previous morphological studies that placed Coleanthus close to the genus Phippsia but at the same time we have not found any evidences of the affinity between the genus Phippsia and the second putative ancestor, Deschampsia. The clade which contains Coleanthus and Phippsia occupies the sister position to all other genera of the subtribe Coleanthinae. The genus Phippsia produces hybrids with Puccinellia, ×Pucciphippsia, but the relationship obtained by our data is far more distant that was considered before from its morphological features. The genus Puccinellia forms a single monophyletic clade—sister to the genus Sclerochloa and former Colpodium s. l. (Paracolpodium, Catabrosella) which are monophyletic with Catabrosa. In partial contradiction to previous research (Soreng et al. 2015)—we found that the subtribe Coleanthinae is rather distant from two-chromosome grasses in ITS analysis though chloroplast genes show the sister position of the species from the 2-chromosome grasses group, Colpodium versicolor (2n = 4), to Coleanthinae. Also we detected multiple reticulation events in the tribe Poeae s. str. and some of them—within the subtribe Coleanthinae. This can explain an uncertain position of the two-chromosome grasses in relation to Coleanthinae.

Trisetopsis, a genus of temperate C3 grasses, extends from the Arabian Peninsula southwards along the African mountains (temperate Afromontane Region) to sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar, with a centre of diversity in southern Africa. A taxonomic treatment of Trisetopsis in the Flora of southern Africa (FSA) region is presented. The proposed classification is based on existing and comparative evidence derived from macromorphology, micromorphology, leaf anatomy, DNA sequences and geographical distribution. Fourteen species of Trisetopsis are recognized in the FSA region, all of them endemic to the region. Five of the species are rare; based on IUCN Red List categories and criteria, three species are considered “Vulnerable”, one as “Endangered, and one as “Critically Endangered” and probably “Extinct”. Improved and emended species descriptions, a key to the species, updated distribution maps and illustrations, especially of the spikelets, are provided. Lectotypes are designated for the names Avenastrum longum var. grande and Avena longa (basionym of Trisetopsis longa).

Agrostis laegaardii A. M. Molina & Rúgolo (Poaceae), a new species restricted to the high páramos from Colombia and Ecuador, is described and illustrated. It is morphologically most similar to A. breviculmis Hitchc. but differs in spikelet length, pedicel apex, glume texture, relative distance between upper glume and floret, lemma and palea length, and the presence of an awn on the lemma. Micromorphology of the spikelet is discussed, and a Trichodium net is reported on the epidermis of the lemma. A distribution map and a key to the Colombian and Ecuadorean species of Agrostis L. with contracted inflorescences are provided. Fil: Palacio, Patricia Candela. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Cátedra de Botánica General; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Molina, Ana M.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; Argentina Fil: Rúgolo, Zulma Esther. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. Academia Nacional de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion; Argentina Fil: Vega, Andrea Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Cátedra de Botánica General; Argentina

Chascolytrum Desv. is a South American grass genus, with extension up to Central America, which presents several taxonomic controversies concerning genera and species circumscriptions. Morphological studies were not able to provide robust elements for taxonomic decisions in some species complexes. It was the case of Chascolytrum subaristatum and morphological allies, and of Chascolytrum rufum plus the acceptance (or rejection) of two varieties. In order to provide additional elements for taxonomic decisions in these species complexes, it was performed a preliminary survey using Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. Nine primers were used to build similarity dendrograms, and 25 collections were included, analysed in two separated complexes. ISSR were able to separate the two varieties of Chascolytrum rufum, supporting their acceptance. Two species recently described could be clearly separated from their morphologically related taxa, but the species Briza erecta, Briza macrostachya and Chascolytrum subaristatum, as well as Briza subaristata var. interrupta, could not be separated, adding elements to the synonymization of these three taxa under Chascolytrum ubaristatum. The ISSR contributed to solving some controversies on genus Chascolytrum, but its use as an exclusive species-marker is limited in this genus due to high band polymorphism., Chascolytrum Desv. é um gênero sul-americano de gramíneas, com extensão da distribuição até a América Central, o qual apresenta diversas controvérsias taxonômicas com relação à circunscrição de gêneros e espécies. Estudos morfológicos não foram capazes de fornecer elementos robustos para a tomada de decisões taxonômicas em relação a alguns complexos de espécies. Esse foi o caso de Chascolytrum subaristatum e espécies morfologicamente afins, e de Chascolytrum rufum com relação à aceitação (ou rejeição) de duas variedades. Para fornecer elementos adicionais para decisões taxonômicas nesses complexos de espécies, foi realizado um estudo preliminar utilizando marcadores do tipo Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR). Foram utilizados nove primers para construir dendrogramas de similaridade, e 25 coletas foram incluídas, analisadas em dois complexos distintos. Os marcadores ISSR foram capazes de separar as duas variedades de Chascolytrum rufum, apoiando a aceitação das mesmas. Duas espécies recentemente descritas puderam ser claramente separadas de seus táxons morfologicamente relacionados, porém as espécies Briza erecta, Briza macrostachya e Chascolytrum subaristatum, bem como Briza subaristata var. interrupta, não foram discriminadas nos dendrogramas, o que adiciona elementos para justificar a sinonimização desses três táxons sob Chascolytrum subaristatum. Os ISSR contribuíram para a resolução de algumas ontrovérsias taxonômicas no gênero Chascolytrum, mas seu uso como um marcador para espécies é limitado no gênero devido ao alto polimorfismo de bandas.

The Briza complex comprises 23 species from South America, Mesoamerica and Europe. They constitute a monophyletic group because of the tendency of the spikelets to be dorsiventrally compressed. A cladistic analysis of the complex was performed using 32 characters from morphology. The terminal taxa were the species of the genera Briza, Calotheca, Microbriza, Poidium and Rhomboelytrum. Dactylis and Arrhenatherum were chosen to root the cladograms. Results of the cladistic analysis of the complex provide support for the ideas of Nicora and Rugolo (1981, Darwiniana 23(1), 279–309): Briza, Calotheca, Microbriza, Poidium and Rhomboelytrum are supported as monophyletic groups. Within Briza, only the Chascolytrum group appears monophyletic, while the Briza and Uniolae groups are paraphyletic. Poidium ambiguum, sometimes placed in Poa, is considered here as Poidium.

In our article, we analyzed new data on the origin of the hybrid genus ×Trisetokoeleria. According to the morphological criteria ×T. jurtzevii is a hybrid between Koeleria asiatica s. l. and Trisetum spicatum, ×T. taimyrica, and originated from Koeleria asiatica s. l. and Trisetum subalpestre, ×T. gorodkowii, a hybrid between Koeleria asiatica and Trisetum ruprechtianum. Later ×T. taimyrica was transferred to Koeleria. Parental taxa are prone to active hybridization themselves, thus, new methods of next-generation sequencing (NGS) were needed to clarify the relationships of these genera. For NGS we used the fragment 18S rDNA (part)–ITS1–5.8S rDNA (totally 441 accessions). We analyzed ITS1–5.8S rDNA–ITS2 region, trnL–trnF and trnK–rps16 from eight samples of the five species, using the Sanger method: ×Trisetokoeleria jurtzevii, ×T. taimyrica, Koeleria asiatica, Sibirotrisetum sibiricum (=Trisetum sibiricum), and Trisetum spicatum. We also studied the pollen fertility of ×Trisetokoeleria and its possible progenitors. Our data partly contradicted previous assumptions, based on morphological grounds, and showed us a picture of developed introgression within and between Koeleria and Trisetum. ×T. jurtzevii, a totally sterile hybrid formed rather recently. We can suppose that ×T. jurtzevii is a hybrid between K. asiatica and some Trisetum s. str. Species, but not T. spicatum. ×T. gorodkowii, a hybrid in the stage of primary stabilization; it has one unique ribotype related to T. spicatum s. l. The second parental species is unrelated to Trisetum ruprechtianum. ×T. taimyrica and is a stabilized hybrid species; it shares major ribotypes with the T. spicatum/T. wrangelense group and has a minor fraction of rDNA related to genus Deyeuxia s. l.

Recent studies have revealed presence of fungus-originated genes in genomes of cool-season grasses, suggesting occurrence of multiple ancestral gene transfer events between the two distant lineages. The current article describes identification of glucanase-like and monooxygenase-like genes from creeping bent grass, as lateral gene transfer candidates. An in silico analysis suggested presence of the glucanase-like gene in Agrostis, Deyeuxia, and Polypogon genera, but not in other species belonging to the clade 1 of the Poeae tribe. Similarly, the monooxygenase-like gene was confined to Agrostis and Deyeuxia genera. A consistent result was obtained from PCR-based screening. The glucanase-like gene was revealed to be ubiquitously expressed in young seedlings of creeping bent grass. Although expression of the monooxygenase-like gene was suggested in plant tissues, the levels were considerably lower than those of the glucanase-like gene. A phylogenetic analysis revealed close relationships of the two genes between the corresponding genes in fungal endophyte species of the Epichloë genus, suggesting that the genes originated from the Epichloë lineage.

Present communication records polymorphic and polyploid nature of the forest grass species M. effusum having wide distribution over different continents and countries. Globally the 4 x plants are widely distributed. The West Himalayan plants, collected at 3000 m alt. and more, are also sporting chromosome number of 2n = 28 based on basic number of x = 7. Further meiotic course analysis of Western Himalayan plants follows diploid like behaviour possibly directed by diploidization. This communication also calls the attention to cytogeography of intraspecific cytotypes of M. effusum, where diploid plants (2n = 14) have also been reported, but only 2 times – from the Kola Peninsula, Russia and from the Switzerland mountains. Perhaps these are relict populations, which deserve to be proved, studied and protected.

Se discuten ciertos datos taxonómicos y corológicos de nueve taxones de gramíneas (Poaceae) de los géneros Anthoxanthum, Arrhenatherum, Avena y Helictochloa publicados recientemente en relación con la flora de Extremadura (España). About some alleged taxonomic and chorological novelties of grasses for Extremadura (Spain). Certain taxonomic and chorological data about nine taxa of grasses (Poaceae) of the genera Anthoxanthum, Arrhenatherum, Avena and Helictochloa recently published in relation to the flora of Extremadura (Spain) are discussed.

To investigate the evolutionary relationships among the species of Trisetum and other members of subtribe Koeleriinae, a phylogeny based on DNA sequences from four gene regions (ITS, rpl32-trnL spacer, rps16-trnK spacer, and rps16 intron) is presented. The analyses, including type species of all genera in Koeleriinae (Acrospelion, Avellinia, Cinnagrostis, Gaudinia, Koeleria, Leptophyllochloa, Limnodea, Peyritschia, Rostraria, Sphenopholis, Trisetaria, Trisetopsis, Trisetum), along with three outgroups, confirm previous indications of extensive polyphyly of Trisetum. We focus on the monophyletic Trisetum sect. Sibirica clade that we interpret here as a distinct genus, Sibirotrisetum gen. nov. We include a description of Sibirotrisetum with the following seven new combinations: Sibirotrisetum aeneum, S. bifidum, S. henryi, S. scitulum, S. sibiricum, S. sibiricum subsp. litorale, and S. turcicum; and a single new combination in Acrospelion: A. distichophyllum. Trisetum s.s. is limited to one, two or three species, pending further study.

Eremopoa is a small genus of annual grasses distributed from Egypt to western China. Phylogenetic analyses of plastid and nuclear ribosomal DNA show that Eremopoa species, together with the monotypic genus Lindbergella and a single species of Poa (P. speluncarum), are nested within the genus Poa, in a clade that we accept as Poa subg. Pseudopoa. Here we accept seven species, four subspecies and four varieties in Poa subg. Pseudopoa. Five new combinations are made: Poa attalica, P. diaphora var. alpina, P. diaphora var. songarica, P. nephelochloides and P. persica subsp. multiradiata; P. millii is proposed as a replacement name for E. capillaris; and Poa sections Lindbergella and Speluncarae are proposed. We provide a diagnosis for Poa subg. Pseudopoa, synonymy for and a key to the taxa. Eight lectotypes are designated: Eragrostis barbeyi Post, Eremopoa nephelochloides Roshev., Glyceria taurica Steud., Nephelochloa tripolitana Boiss. & Blanche, Poa cilicensis Hance, Poa paradoxa Kar. & Kir., Poa persica var. alpina Boiss and Poa persica subsp. cypria Sam. Eremopoa medica is re-identified as a species of Puccinellia. © Lynn J. Gillespie et al. Canadian Museum of Nature; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, NSERC We thank the curators and staff at the following herbaria for loans and/or specimen images: E, G, BEI, BM, B, K, LE, P, US, ANK, ISTE, NKU and W. Ralf Hand kindly sent us leaf material and a duplicate of Lindbergella sintenisii from Cyprus; Mostafa Assadi and Mohammad Amini-Rad kindly sent leaf material from Iran from the TARI and IRAN herbaria. Nada Sinno Saoud kindly provided an image of Eragrostis barbeyi from the Post herbarium (BEI). We thank Roger Bull for assistance with the molecular research and Paul Peterson, Stephen Wagstaff and Clifford Morden for their helpful reviews. Part of the molecular study was performed by NA as part of her Masters thesis at the University of Ottawa and Canadian Museum of Nature. LJG acknowledges the support of the Canadian Museum of Nature and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

Poalaegaardianasp. nov., is described and illustrated. The new species was found growing on sandy, volcanic soil in Festuca-Calamagrostis dominated grasslands southwest of Ambato and 2.2 km from Fecundo Vela in Provincia de Bolivar. The new species is morphologically similar to Poagigantea but differs in having glumes 3/4 to 7/8 as long as the adjacent lemmas, a callus with a sparse, short, dorsal tuft of woolly hairs, culms 50–72 cm tall and spikelets 4.1–4.8 mm long. In addition, we include a key to the narrow-spikelike panicled species of Poa in Ecuador.

A multivariate morphometric study of the genus Nicoraepoa was carried out to examine patterns of morphological variation among the species and to identify additional characters to allow a clearer delimitation among species. Nicoraepoa is a taxonomically complex genus comprising seven species endemic to South America. Although most of the species are well delimited, two of them, N. andina and N. chonotica, are morphologically similar and very difficult to separate. The morphological variation among species, with overlapping morphological characters, pseudovivipary and possible hybridization make species boundaries unclear. In the present paper, sixty-seven characters were scored for a total of 216 specimens and analyzed using ordination, cluster and discriminant analyses. Based on multivariate results, we recognized species groups and morphological diagnostic characters that allow clearer species delimitation. As a result, N. chonotica has been transferred to N. andina as a subspecies that inhabit southern Patagonia. Other taxa could be recognized and delimited by diagnostic characters: N. erinacea, N. pugionifolia, N. stepparia, N. subenervis subsp. spegazziniana and N. subenervis subsp. subenervis. Moreover, we discuss the possibility that a new species from Bolivia, based on only one specimen, closely related to N. subenervis should be ascribed in Nicoraepoa. Fil: Finot, Victor L.. Universidad de Concepción; Chile Fil: Soreng, Robert J.. National Museum of Natural History; Estados Unidos Fil: Giussani, Liliana Mónica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. Academia Nacional de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Botánica Darwinion; Argentina Fil: Muñoz, Romina G.. Universidad de Concepción; Chile

A taxonomic revision of the Briza complex was carried out, including the genera accepted by past authors as subgenera or sections of Briza s.l. (Briza L., Calotheca Desv., Chascolytrum Desv., Lombardochloa Roseng. & B. R. Arrill., Microbriza Parodi ex Nicora & Rugolo, and Poidium Nees) as well as other related genera (Brizochloa V. Jirasek & Chrtek, Erianthecium Parodi, Gymnachne Parodi, and Rhombolytrum Link). As a result of the morphological analysis presented here, confirmed by other studies with molecular data, Briza is accepted with three Eurasian species, Brizochloa is accepted with one species, and a new circumscription for the genus Chascolytrum is proposed. This new circumscription includes all the accepted South American species that were previously assigned to the other genera cited above. Descriptions and illustrations of three species and one variety of Briza, one species of Brizochloa, and 22 species and two varieties of Chascolytrum are provided, as well as IUCN conservation status for most species. A new status is proposed for Briza media f. caucasica Marcow.: Briza media var. caucasica (Marcow.) Essi, Longhi-Wagner & Souza-Chies. The following name is newly transferred: Chascolytrumrufumvar. sparsipilosum(Roseng., B.R.Arrill. & Izag.) Essi, Longhi-Wagner & Souza-Chies [≡ Briza rufa var. sparsipilosa Roseng., B. R. Arrill. & Izag.]. Keys for genera and species are also provided. Lectotypifications are provided for Briza neesii Doll and Briza triloba Nees.

Circumscriptions of and relationships among many genera and suprageneric taxa of the diverse grass tribe Poeae remain controversial. In an attempt to clarify these, we conducted phylogenetic analyses of >2400 new DNA sequences from two nuclear ribosomal regions (ITS, including internal transcribed spacers 1 and 2 and the 5.8S gene, and the 3'-end of the external transcribed spacer (ETS)) and five plastid regions (matK, trnL–trnF, atpF–atpH, psbK–psbI, psbA–rps19–trnH), and of more than 1000 new and previously published ITS sequences, focused particularly on Poeae chloroplast group 1 and including broad and increased species sampling compared to previous studies. Deep branches in the combined plastid and combined ITS+ETS trees are generally well resolved, the trees are congruent in most aspects, branch support across the trees is stronger than in trees based on only ITS and fewer plastid regions, and there is evidence of conflict between data partitions in some taxa. In plastid trees, a strongly supported clade corresponds to Poeae chloroplast group 1 and includes Agrostidinae p.p., Anthoxanthinae, Aveninae s.str., Brizinae, Koeleriinae (sometimes included in Aveninae s.l.), Phalaridinae and Torreyochloinae. In the ITS+ETS tree, a supported clade includes these same tribes as well as Sesleriinae and Scolochloinae. Aveninae s.str. and Sesleriinae are sister taxa and form a clade with Koeleriinae in the ITS+ETS tree whereas Aveninae s.str. and Koeleriinae form a clade and Sesleriinae is part of Poeae chloroplast group 2 in the plastid tree. All species of Trisetum are part of Koeleriinae, but the genus is polyphyletic. Koeleriinae is divided into two major subclades: one comprises Avellinia, Gaudinia, Koeleria, Rostraria, Trisetaria and Trisetum subg. Trisetum, and the other Calamagrostis/Deyeuxia p.p. (multiple species from Mexico to South America), Peyritschia, Leptophyllochloa, Sphenopholis, Trisetopsis and Trisetum subg. Deschampsioidea. Graphephorum, Trisetum cernuum, T. irazuense and T. macbridei fall in different clades of Koeleriinae in plastid vs. nuclear ribosomal trees, and are likely of hybrid origin. ITS and matK trees identify a third lineage of Koeleriinae corresponding to Trisetum subsect. Sibirica, and affinities of Lagurus ovatus with respect to Aveninae s.str. and Koeleriinae are incongruent in nuclear ribosomal and plastid trees, supporting recognition of Lagurus in its own subtribe. A large clade comprises taxa of Agrostidinae, Brizinae and Calothecinae, but neither Agrostidinae nor Calothecinae are monophyletic as currently circumscribed and affinities of Brizinae differ in plastid and nuclear ribosomal trees. Within this clade, one newly identified lineage comprises Calamagrostis coarctata, Dichelachne, Echinopogon (Agrostidinae p.p.) and Relchela (Calothecinae p.p.), and another comprises Chascolytrum (Calothecinae p.p.) and Deyeuxia effusa (Agrostidinae p.p.). Within Agrostidinae p.p., the type species of Deyeuxia and Calamagrostis s.str. are closely related, supporting classification of Deyeuxia as a synonym of Calamagrostis s.str. Furthermore, the two species of Ammophila are not sister taxa and are nested among different groups of Calamagrostis s.str., supporting their classification in Calamagrostis. Agrostis, Lachnagrostis and Polypogon form a clade and species of each are variously intermixed in plastid and nuclear ribosomal trees. Additionally, all but one species from South America classified in Deyeuxia sect. Stylagrostis resolve in Holcinae p.p. (Deschampsia). The current phylogenetic results support recognition of the latter species in Deschampsia, and we also demonstrate Scribneria is part of this clade. Moreover, Holcinae is not monophyletic in its current circumscription because Deschampsia does not form a clade with Holcus and Vahlodea, which are sister taxa. The results support recognition of Deschampsia in its own subtribe Aristaveninae. Substantial further changes to the classification of these grasses will be needed to produce generic circumscriptions consistent with phylogenetic evidence. The following 15 new combinations are made: Calamagrostis × calammophila, C. breviligulata, C. breviligulata subsp. champlainensis, C. × don-hensonii, Deschampsia aurea, D. bolanderi, D. chrysantha, D. chrysantha var. phalaroides, D. eminens, D. eminens var. fulva, D. eminens var. inclusa, D. hackelii, D. ovata, and D. ovata var. nivalis. D. podophora; the new name Deschampsia parodiana is proposed; the new subtribe Lagurinae is described; and a second-step lectotype is designated for the name Deyeuxia phalaroides.

BackgroundCultivated hexaploid oat (Common oat;Avena sativa) has held a significant place within the global crop community for centuries; although its cultivation has decreased over the past century, its nutritional benefits have garnered increased interest for human consumption. We report the development of fully annotated, chromosome-scale assemblies for the extant progenitor species of the As- and Cp-subgenomes,Avena atlanticaandAvena eriantharespectively. The diploidAvenaspecies serve as important genetic resources for improving common oat’s adaptive and food quality characteristics.ResultsTheA. atlanticaandA. erianthagenome assemblies span 3.69 and 3.78 Gb with an N50 of 513 and 535 Mb, respectively. Annotation of the genomes, using sequenced transcriptomes, identified ~ 50,000 gene models in each species—including 2965 resistance gene analogs across both species. Analysis of these assemblies classified much of each genome as repetitive sequence (~ 83%), including species-specific, centromeric-specific, and telomeric-specific repeats. LTR retrotransposons make up most of the classified elements. Genome-wide syntenic comparisons with other members of the Pooideae revealed orthologous relationships, while comparisons with genetic maps from common oat clarified subgenome origins for each of the 21 hexaploid linkage groups. The utility of the diploid genomes was demonstrated by identifying putative candidate genes for flowering time (HD3A) and crown rust resistance (Pc91). We also investigate the phylogenetic relationships among other A- and C-genomeAvenaspecies.ConclusionsThe genomes we report here are the first chromosome-scale assemblies for the tribe Poeae, subtribe Aveninae. Our analyses provide important insight into the evolution and complexity of common hexaploid oat, including subgenome origin, homoeologous relationships, and major intra- and intergenomic rearrangements. They also provide the annotation framework needed to accelerate gene discovery and plant breeding.