Bouteloua curtipendula var. curtipendula
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Authority
Kapadia, Z. & Gould, Frank W. 1964. Biosystematic studies in the Bouteloua curtipendula complex. IV. Dynamics of variation in B. curtipendula var. caespitosa. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club. 91: 465-478.
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Family
Poaceae
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Scientific Name
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Type
TYPE: ILLINOIS: Michaux (fragment, US). Fig. 39.
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Description
Species Description - Culms single or in small clusters from slender or stout creeping rhizomes. Leaves mostly glabrous but infreqently puberulent, the blades flat, usually 3-7 mm broad and bluish green but variable in width and color, usually with a few pustulate-based cilia on the lower margins. Infloreseence typically large, with a stout axis bearing 40-70 or more reflexed branches, these bearing an average of 3-7 spikelets. Glumes and lemmas typically purple or purple-tinged. Anthers red or red-orange, infrequently orange, yellow or purple. Chromosome number tetraploid (2n = 40) or aneuploid from 2n = 41 to 2n = 66.
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Discussion
Chloris curtipendula Michx., Fl. Bor. Am. 1: 59. 1803.
Atheropagon apludoides Muhl. ex Willd., Sp. P1. 4: 937. 1806.
Dineba curtipendula (Michx.) Beauv., Agrost. 98, 158, 160. 1812.
Cynosurus: secundus Pursh, Fl. Am. Sept. 728. 1814.
Dineba secunda (Pursh) R. & S., Syst. Veg. 2: 711. 1817.
Eutriana curtipendula (Michx.) Trin., Fund. Agrost. 161. 1820.
Eutriana affinis Hook. f., Trans. Linn. Soc. 20: 174. 1847.
Bouteloua curtipendula var. aristosa A. Gray, Man. ed. 2, 553. 1856.
Atheropogon curtipendulus (Michx.) Fourn., Mex. P1. Gram. 2: 138. 1886.
Atheropogon affinis (Hook. f.) Fourn., Mex. P1. Gram. 2: 141. 1886.
Bouteloua racemosa var. aristosa Wats. & Coult., in A. Gray, Man. ed. 6, 656. 1890.
Canadian and U. S. collections of the typical variety of B. curtipendutla are numerous and, as this is the only taxon of the B. curtipendula complex through- out much of its range, a listing of collections examined from all areas has not been made. The following citation of specimens is limited to those states in which other taxa of the B. curtipendula complex occurs. For the most part citation has been limited to one collection per county.
Botuteloua curtipendutla var. cutrtipendula exhibits considerable morphological variation throughout its ranlge. Most variability is present in plants of the Southwest where evidence of introgressive hybridization with B. curtipendula var. caespitosa, B. uniflora, and B. warnockii is apparent. Outstanding of the differences are those of culm height, number of culms per plant, number of inflorescence branches, number of spikelets per branch, spikelet size, leaf pubescence and color and blade width and thickness, and the development of the rudimentary floret. In the Southwest, anther color varies from the typical deep red or red orange to orange yellow, yellow, and shades of purple.
Tetraploid (2n = 40) and alleuploid (2n = 41-64) chromosome counts were reported for many plants of var. curtipendula in the first paper of this series (Gould and Kapadia 1962a). Aneuploid plants were shown to be abundantly present in central and western Texas, in the region of overlap of the ranges of B. curtipendtla var. cutrtipendutla and B. curtipendula var. caespitosa. Additional counts have shown this series of aneuploid plants to continue into central New Mexico. As has been noted previously, these aneuploids probably have resulted from hybridization of the two varieties along their line of contact.
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Distribution
Southeastern Canada through the prairie and plains regions of central U. S. to Colorado, southern Utah, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and north-central Mexico.
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