Recircumscription of three Merostachys species (Poaceae: Bambusoideae: Bambuseae: Arthrostylidiinae) and description of a new species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Abstract

The circumscriptions of three species of Merostachys, M. medullosa, M. procerrima and M. magnispicula, are modified and a new species, M. soderstromii, is described. Reproductive structures of M. procerrima are described for the first time, and the name is epitypified. All four species are illustrated and notes on distribution, ecology, conservation status are provided.

A new Andean species of Merostachys Spreng. from Bolivia (Poaceae: Bambusoideae: Bambuseae): Merostachys nigricans

“…Merostachys Spreng is the most species‐rich genus of Neotropical woody bamboos, placed in the Arthrostylidiinae subtribe, with ca 59 described species (Judziewicz et al 1999, BPG 2012, Santos‐Gonçalves et al 2012, Parma et al 2016, Vinícius‐Silva et al 2016, 2021a, b2021b, Vorontsova et al 2016, Clark and Oliveira 2018, Ruiz‐Sanchez et al 2018, Andrade et al 2020, Lopes‐Neto and Viana 2022). The Merostachys species are recorded from southern Mexico (Tabasco) to Argentina (Judziewicz et al 1999, Judziewicz and Clark 2007, Ruiz‐Sanchez et al 2018), from sea level to 2300 m a.s.l., and grow in the understory or along the borders of forests (Judziewicz et al 1999, Judziewicz and Clark 2007).…”

“…Most of described species (51) are found in Brazil and 47 of them are recorded in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, which is considered the center of diversity and endemism of the genus (Judziewicz et al 1999, BPG 2012, Santos‐Gonçalves et al 2012, Parma et al 2016, Vinícius‐Silva et al 2016, 2021a, b2021b, Andrade et al 2020).…”