Taxonomic notes on Gaudinia (Poaceae) based upon morphological characters and the first record of G. maroccana for Portugal

Abstract

Gaudinia maroccana is considered a Moroccan endemism. After a qualitative and quantitative study of 13 morphological characters of Gaudinia based upon 43 specimens from western Iberian Peninsula, northwestern Morocco and Azores Islands, with statistical analyses (correspondence analysis, box-plots and cluster), we can conclude that this species also occurs on the coast of Portugal. Some taxonomic remarks on G. fragilis, G. coarctata, G. hispanica and G. valdesii and a key for determination are presented.

Keywords::

• Gaudinia
• new records
• morphological characters
• quantitative characters
• statistical analysis
• distribution
• phytochorology

Acknowledgements

The loan of the material and the help of the curators of the consulted herbaria are gratefully acknowledged. This study was supported by the “Flora iberica IX” project (CGL2011-28613-C03-01, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain). We also thank Enrique Sánchez-Gullón for helping us during field works in Huelva, Brian Crilly for his linguistic assistance, and the three reviewers that improved the manuscript.