Ptilagrostiella kingii (Bol.) Romasch., comb. nov.

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 : 103

Ptilagrostiella kingii (Bol.) Romasch., comb. nov.

Stipa kingii Bol., Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 4: 170. 1872 [Basionym] ≡ Oryzopsis kingii (Bol.) Beal, Grass. N. Amer. 2: 229. 1896 ≡ Ptilagrostis kingii (Bol.) Barkworth, Syst. Bot. 8(4): 417. 1983. Type: USA, California, Tuolumne Co., Mt. Dana and Toulumne Meadows, 7000-12000 ft, Sep 1866, H.N. Bolander 6097 (lectotype: CAS-0005666 [image!] designated by M.E. Barkworth, Syst. Bot. 8: 417. 1983; isolectotypes: BM-001042147 [image!], F-0047023F [image!], G-00176575 [image!], G-00176576 [image!], G-00176577 [image!], GH-00361770 [image!, NY-01785914 [image!], US-81910!, YU-000920 [image!], YU-244788 [image!], W-18890217500 [image!]). Fig. 4F-J .

Distribution and habitat.

Ptilagrostiella kingii is endemic to California known only in the Sierra Nevada (Fresno, Inyo, Madera, Mariposa, Mono, Tulare, and Tuolomne counties) and is associated with lodgepole and subalpine forests ( Calflora 2018). The species grows along moist streambanks and open, wet to dry meadows; 2000-3650 m ( Barkworth 1983, 2007).

Comments.

In our earlier molecular analysis, Ptilagrostiella kingii is sister to a well-supported clade of Piptatheropsis ( Romaschenko et al. 2011, 2012). As indicated by Barkworth (1983), the similarities between P. kingii and Ptilagrostis may have resulted from convergent evolution in distantly related taxa growing under similar environmental conditions since the former species shares an immediate common ancestor with Piptatheropsis and does not align near the Ptilagrostis clade ( Romaschenko et al. 2012). Ptilagrostiella kingii also lacks a blunt callus and the plumose awns characteristic of most Ptilagrostis species ( Wu and Phillips 2006).

Figures

Figure 4. Oloptum miliaceum: A panicle B glumes C floret D lemma and palea E lemma base with disarticulation scar. Ptilagrostiella kingii: F habit G panicle H glumes I floret J lemma apex.