Neotrinia splendens (Trin.) M. Nobis, P. Gudkova & A. Nowak, Turczaninowia 22 (1): 40. 2019

Peterson, Paul M., Romaschenko, Konstantin, Soreng, Robert J. & Reyna, Jesus Valdes, 2019, A key to the North American genera of Stipeae (Poaceae, Pooideae) with descriptions and taxonomic names for species of Eriocoma, Neotrinia, Oloptum, and five new genera: Barkworthia, x Eriosella, Pseudoeriocoma, Ptilagrostiella, and Thorneochloa, PhytoKeys 126, pp. 89-125 : 98

Neotrinia splendens (Trin.) M. Nobis, P. Gudkova & A. Nowak, Turczaninowia 22 (1): 40. 2019

Stipa splendens Trin., Neue Entdeck. Pflanzenk. 2: 54. 1821 [Basionym] ≡ Agrostis longiaristata Herb. in Ross. ex Kunth, Enum. Pl. 1: 178. 1833, nom. illeg. ≡ Lasiagrostis splendens (Trin.) Kunth, Révis. Gramin. 1: 58. 1829 ≡ Achnatherum splendens (Trin.) Nevski, Trudy Bot. Inst. Akad. Nauk S.S.S.R., Ser. 1, Fl. Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 4: 224. 1937. Type: Russia, Transbaicalia, Siberia, Fischer et Steven s.n. (holotype: LE-TRIN1444.1!). Fig. 3H-K .

Distribution and habitat.

The single species, Neotrinia splendens , is native to Asia in Afghanistan, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Mongolia, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan ( Wu and Phillips 2006). In North America N. splendens has been introduced as an ornamental ( Barkworth 2007). The species occurs in cold, semi desert regions along drainages at 2100-3800 m ( Freitag 1985).

Comments.

Psammochloa villosa (Trin.) Bor is sister to Neotrinia splendens in our earlier molecular phylogeny (BS = 100, PP = 1.00) and both species share the following morphological features: basal fibrous sheaths, panicles with whorled primary branches arising from the rachis, (1-) 3-5-veined glumes with hyaline margins, short, obtuse to elliptic calluses, and evenly hairy lemmas with flexuous cauducous awns that arise between the apical teeth ( Freitag 1985; Wu and Phillips 2006; Barkworth 2007; Romaschenko et al. 2012). Neotrinia splendens differs from Psammochloa villosa in having cespitose culms without rhizomes, 4-7 (-8.5) mm long spikelets, 2.5-6.5 mm long glumes, 4.2-7.2 mm long lemmas that are evenly hairy with hairs up to 1.5 mm long, linear-lanceolate lodicules (versus flabellate), and 3.5-4.5 mm long anthers. It also differs from Achnatherum in having saw-like lemma epidermal pattern.

As noted by Barkworth (2007), the plants are rarely grazed upon, and sometimes form dense tall stands in Asia (RJS pers. obs.; Tzvelev 1976, p. 564 comment). Achnatherum caragana (Trin.) Nevski was treated as the only other A. sect. Neotrinia species ( Tzvelev 1976), and may belong to the genus.

Figures

Figure 3. Eriocoma robusta: A habit B sheath and blade with a hairy collar C panicle D glumes E floret F floret (close up) G caryopsis. Neotrinia splendens: H panicle I glumes J floret K floret (close up) with anther tip (arrow).