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Type: Article
Published: 2018-03-13
Page range: 31–38
Abstract views: 36
PDF downloaded: 24

A new species of Merostachys (Poaceae: Bambusoideae: Bambuseae: Arthrostylidiinae) with the northernmost distribution of the genus

Departamento de Botánica y Zoología, Centro Universitario de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad de Guadalajara. Camino Ing. Ramón Padilla Sánchez 2100, Nextipac, Zapopan, Jalisco 45110, Mexico
Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, 251 Bessey Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011–4009, United States of America
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LYNN G. CLARK

   
Red de Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, A. C. Carretera antigua a Coatepec 351, Xalapa, 91070, Mexico.
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TERESA MEJÍA-SAULÉS

  
Red de Biodiversidad y Sistemática, Instituto de Ecología, A. C. Carretera antigua a Coatepec 351, Xalapa, 91070, Mexico.
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FRANCISCO LOREA-HERNÁNDEZ

 
Chiapas endemic montane cloud forest Mexico Tabasco Monocots

Abstract

With 52 described species, Merostachys is the most diverse genus in the Arthrostylidiinae; 50 of the species are present in South America and only two, M. latifolia and M. pauciflora, are distributed in Central America and Mexico. Previous collections of vegetative Merostachys specimens from El Triunfo, Chiapas, Mexico, were identified as M. pauciflora. However, new flowering collections from the state of Tabasco, Mexico, allowed us to differentiate the Mexican populations from M. latifolia and M. pauciflora. A detailed study of samples from the Tabasco population, and a review of the previous collections from Chiapas, confirmed the existence of a new Merostachys species, which we here describe and illustrate as M. mexicana. This new species is endemic to Mexico and represents the northernmost extension of the genus.