**5.1.3 Pooideae benth**

In Chile, Pooideae encompasses six tribes and 18 subtribes with nearly 396 species in 76 genera (Table 1). Pooideae are distributed from the north end of Chilean territory (17°30'S) to the Region of Magallanes and Antartica Chilena (62°S), and from see level to 5250 m of altitude. Species of *Anthochloa* (*A. lepidula*), *Catabrosa* (*C. werdermannii*), *Dielsiochloa* (*D. floribunda*), *Deyeuxia* (*D. breviaristata, D. cabrerae* var. *trichopoda*, D*. crispa, D. deserticola*), *Festuca* (*F*. *orthophylla*), *Nassella* (*N. nardoides*), *Pappostipa* (*P. frigida*), *Poa* (*P. humillima, P. gymnantha*) are found at high altitude (approx. 4000-5250 m), in northern Chile [Region of Arica and Parinacota (17-18°S) and Region of Antofagasta (21-22°S)]. Some genera, like *Anthochloa*, *Dielsiochloa*, and *Dissanthelium*, are restricted to northern Chile (18-21°S). Some taxa are restricted to central Chile, like the endemic and monotypic *Gymnachne* (*G. koelerioides*) (32°S, Quillota, Region of Valparaíso to 38°S, Cautín, Region of Araucanía), *Helictotrichon bulbosum* (restricted to Ñuble and Concepción, Region of Bío-Bío), *Apera interrupta* (33-38°S, Santiago to Malleco), *Calotheca brizoides* (34-38°S). Genera whose distribution is restricted mainly to southern Chile are *Vahlodea* (Santiago but mainly from Valdivia to Puerto Williams), *Alopecurus* (Choapa but mainly from Santiago to Magallanes), *Anthoxanthum* (mainly from Ñuble to Tierra del Fuego). The largest genera are *Poa* (48 spp.), *Nassella* (ca. 30 spp.), *Agrostis* (28 spp.), *Festuca* (26 spp.), *Bromus* (23 spp.), *Deschampsia* (15 spp), *Jarava* (13 spp.) and *Trisetum* (11 spp.). Several genera are monotypic (*Dielsiochloa*, *Dichelachne*, *Leptophyllochloa*, *Gymnachne*, *Hainardia*, *Podagrostis*).

Tribe **Brachypodieae** is represented only by one genus and one species, *Brachypodium distachyon* introduced from southern Europe, this species grows in roadsides in central Chile, from the Region of Valparaíso to the Region of Bío-Bío (32-37°S), as well as in Juan Fernández archipelago. Tribe **Meliceae** comprises the genera *Gyceria* with two species and *Melica* represented by eight species (Table 3). *Glyceria* is represented only by the Eurasiatic *G. fluitans* (L.) R. Br., and a native species *G. multiflora* Steud., inhabiting from Chacabuco (33°S) to Última Esperanza (50°S). *Melica* comprises eight species (including *M. cepacea* sometimes classified in the genus *Bromelica*), seven endemic. Genus *Melica* is distributed mainly in central-southern Chile, between 27°50'S and 40°15'S, and from sea level to 2000 m of altitude (Muñoz-Schick, 1985). Three species are considered vulnerable: *M. longiflora*, *M. paulsenii*, and *M. poecilantha* (Squeo et al., 2001). Tribe **Stipeae** includes 21 genera and more than 500 species of which 279 live in the New World in temperate regions in both hemispheres, growing mainly in dry open grasslands and steppe communities. Most species of the New World Stipeae (approx. 80%) are South American (Romaschenko et al., 2008). Tribe Stipeae includes nine genera in Chile. *Amelichloa* Arriaga & Barkworth was described recently on the basis of five species segregated from genus *Stipa*, three of which grow in central-southern Chile (Arriaga & Barkworth, 2006). *Anatherostipa* (Hack. ex Kuntze) Peñailillo, was segregated from *Stipa* (Peñailillo, 1996), to include 11 species, four of which grow in Chile, restricted to the Andes of the northern regions (17-25°S) from 3400 to 4600 m of altitude. The South American genus *Jarava* Ruiz & Pav., includes 13 species widely distributed in Chile, mainly from the Andes and Patagonia, between 18°S and 50°S**.** *Nassella*,

(36°S), which is the southernmost region of the rice crop in the world. In the same area, wild red rice is found, one of the most problematic weed of rice production in temperate countries (Gealy et al., 2003). *Ehrharta calycina* is native to southern Africa (Barkworth et al., 2007); it has been collected in pastures in Elqui and cultivated in Rinconada de Maipú

In Chile, Pooideae encompasses six tribes and 18 subtribes with nearly 396 species in 76 genera (Table 1). Pooideae are distributed from the north end of Chilean territory (17°30'S) to the Region of Magallanes and Antartica Chilena (62°S), and from see level to 5250 m of altitude. Species of *Anthochloa* (*A. lepidula*), *Catabrosa* (*C. werdermannii*), *Dielsiochloa* (*D. floribunda*), *Deyeuxia* (*D. breviaristata, D. cabrerae* var. *trichopoda*, D*. crispa, D. deserticola*), *Festuca* (*F*. *orthophylla*), *Nassella* (*N. nardoides*), *Pappostipa* (*P. frigida*), *Poa* (*P. humillima, P. gymnantha*) are found at high altitude (approx. 4000-5250 m), in northern Chile [Region of Arica and Parinacota (17-18°S) and Region of Antofagasta (21-22°S)]. Some genera, like *Anthochloa*, *Dielsiochloa*, and *Dissanthelium*, are restricted to northern Chile (18-21°S). Some taxa are restricted to central Chile, like the endemic and monotypic *Gymnachne* (*G. koelerioides*) (32°S, Quillota, Region of Valparaíso to 38°S, Cautín, Region of Araucanía), *Helictotrichon bulbosum* (restricted to Ñuble and Concepción, Region of Bío-Bío), *Apera interrupta* (33-38°S, Santiago to Malleco), *Calotheca brizoides* (34-38°S). Genera whose distribution is restricted mainly to southern Chile are *Vahlodea* (Santiago but mainly from Valdivia to Puerto Williams), *Alopecurus* (Choapa but mainly from Santiago to Magallanes), *Anthoxanthum* (mainly from Ñuble to Tierra del Fuego). The largest genera are *Poa* (48 spp.), *Nassella* (ca. 30 spp.), *Agrostis* (28 spp.), *Festuca* (26 spp.), *Bromus* (23 spp.), *Deschampsia* (15 spp), *Jarava* (13 spp.) and *Trisetum* (11 spp.). Several genera are monotypic (*Dielsiochloa*,

Tribe **Brachypodieae** is represented only by one genus and one species, *Brachypodium distachyon* introduced from southern Europe, this species grows in roadsides in central Chile, from the Region of Valparaíso to the Region of Bío-Bío (32-37°S), as well as in Juan Fernández archipelago. Tribe **Meliceae** comprises the genera *Gyceria* with two species and *Melica* represented by eight species (Table 3). *Glyceria* is represented only by the Eurasiatic *G. fluitans* (L.) R. Br., and a native species *G. multiflora* Steud., inhabiting from Chacabuco (33°S) to Última Esperanza (50°S). *Melica* comprises eight species (including *M. cepacea* sometimes classified in the genus *Bromelica*), seven endemic. Genus *Melica* is distributed mainly in central-southern Chile, between 27°50'S and 40°15'S, and from sea level to 2000 m of altitude (Muñoz-Schick, 1985). Three species are considered vulnerable: *M. longiflora*, *M. paulsenii*, and *M. poecilantha* (Squeo et al., 2001). Tribe **Stipeae** includes 21 genera and more than 500 species of which 279 live in the New World in temperate regions in both hemispheres, growing mainly in dry open grasslands and steppe communities. Most species of the New World Stipeae (approx. 80%) are South American (Romaschenko et al., 2008). Tribe Stipeae includes nine genera in Chile. *Amelichloa* Arriaga & Barkworth was described recently on the basis of five species segregated from genus *Stipa*, three of which grow in central-southern Chile (Arriaga & Barkworth, 2006). *Anatherostipa* (Hack. ex Kuntze) Peñailillo, was segregated from *Stipa* (Peñailillo, 1996), to include 11 species, four of which grow in Chile, restricted to the Andes of the northern regions (17-25°S) from 3400 to 4600 m of altitude. The South American genus *Jarava* Ruiz & Pav., includes 13 species widely distributed in Chile, mainly from the Andes and Patagonia, between 18°S and 50°S**.** *Nassella*,

Experimental Station of University of Chile, Metropolitan Region.

*Dichelachne*, *Leptophyllochloa*, *Gymnachne*, *Hainardia*, *Podagrostis*).

**5.1.3 Pooideae benth** 

being the largest genus of the tribe Stipeae in Chile, encompasses about 30 species, 10 of which are endemic. The genus *Nassella* ranges, approximately, between 17°S and 43°S. Two species of genus *Ortachne*, *O. breviseta* and *O. rariflora* inhabit the subantartic forests. *Ortachne breviseta* grows between Valdivia and Llanquihue (39-41°S) and *O. rariflora* between Chiloé and Tierra del Fuego (42-55°S), and from see level to 1700 m of altitude. The genus *Pappostipa* includes six species in Chile distributed between Arica (18°S) and Magallanes (53°S). *Pappostipa chrysophylla*, *P. ibari* and *P. humilis* are restricted to or have its main distribution in southern Chile. On the contrary, *P. atacamensis* and *P. frigida* are distributed primarily in northern Chile. *Pappostipa speciosa* is widely distributed in Chile and it is found also in the northern hemisphere. The genus *Piptatherum* is introduced. *Piptochaetium* includes seven species distributed from Limarí (Coquimbo) to Osorno (Los Lagos). Tribe **Poeae** is by far the largest in species number, with 58 genera and more than 290 species or 72%. The largest genera are *Poa* (48 spp.), *Agrostis* (28 spp.), *Festuca* (27 spp.), *Deyeuxia* (26 spp.), *Deschampsia* (15 spp), *Trisetum* (11 spp.), and *Anthoxanthum* (8 spp.). A large number of genera in this tribe are represented by only one or two species, such as *Bromidium*, *Calotheca*, *Chascolytrum*, *Dielsiochloa*, *Helictotrichon*, *Gymnachne*, *Leptophyllochloa*, *Megalachne*, *Podophorus*, *Relchela*, *Rhombolytrum*, etc. Twenty-five taxa of Poeae are endemic to Chile: *Agrostis umbellata*, *A. masafuerana*, *A. arvensis*, *A. insularis*, *Alopecurus heleochloides*, *A. lechleri*, *Anthoxanthum altissimum*, *A. spicatum*, *Bromidium trisetoides*, *Deschampsia setacea*, *D. looseriana*, *D. monandra*, *Festuca magensiana*, *F. morenensis*, *F. panda*, *F. tunicata*, *F. werdermannii*, *Gymnachne koelerioides*, *Phalaris amethystina*, *Poa cumingii*, *P. paposana*, *P. pfisteri*, *Polypogon linearis*, *Trisetum johnstonii* subsp. *mattheii*, and *T. nancaguense*. Tribe **Triticeae** includes some economically important species, such as wheat, rye, triticale, and barley, grown in the temperate regions of the world. In Chile, Triticeae comprises seven genera: *Agropyron*, represented only by *A. cristatum* an introduce species growing only in Magallanes, *Elymus***,**  *Hordeum***,** *Leymus***,** *Secale*, *Taeniatherum and Triticum***.** Only *Hordeum* and *Elymus* contain native species and only one endemic species is found in this tribe, *Hordeum brachyaterum*. Tribe **Bromeae** includes only the genus *Bromus*, with 24 species. *Bromus gunckelii* is an endemic species of northern Chile. *Bromus mango* was used by indigenous people (mapuches) as a cereal grain. This species is probably extinct (Mösbach, 1999).
