**5.4 Chloridoideae Kunth ex Beilschm**

Subfamily Chloridoideae comprises 16 genera and 41 species. Most of the genera are represented in Chile by only 1, 2 or 3 species. The largest genus is *Eragrostis*, comprising 12 species and two varieties (Escobar et al., 2011). Chloridoideae are present in northern, central and Southern Chile but they are rare in Austral Chile. *Bouteloua* comprises only one Arica and Parinacota, in semi-desert slopes of the Andean foothills of Arica, above 2000 m of

Subfamily Danthonioideae is represented in Chile by four genera (*Cortaderia*, *Danthonia*, *Rytidosperma* and *Schismus*), and 19 species. Some species of *Cortaderia*, known as "cola de zorro" or "Ngerü-quëlen" (Mösbach, 1999) are used as ornamental plants. Species of *Schismus* (*S. arabicus* and *S. barbatus*) are ruderal and agricultural weeds in Central Chile (Matthei, 1995). *Danthonia* comprises four species and two varieties distributed from the region of Coquimbo (32°S) to the region of Los Lagos (Chiloé, 42°50'S). *Rytidosperma* includes five species in Chile, from the region of Coquimbo (Limarí, 30°40'S) to Magallanes (Tierra del Fuego, 52°50'S). *Cortaderia* includes six species distributed from Arica and Parinacota (18°S) to Magallanes (Wollaston island, 55°44'S). *Danthonia araucana*, *D. chilensis*

Panicoideae consists of two tribes, 10 subtribes, 18 genera and about 50 species in Chile (Table 2). Tribe **Andropogoneae** is represented by the genera *Cymbopogon* (*C. citratus*) in northern Chile, *Schizachyrium* (*S. sanguineum*, *S. spicatum*) in Central Chile, *Imperata* (*I. condensata*) from Copiapó to Valdivia, *Miscanthus* (*M. sinensis*), cultivated in Central Chile, *Bothriochloa* (*B. laguroides* and *B. saccharoides* in Central Chile, *B. ischaemum* in Easter Island), *Sorghum* (*S. bicolor*, *S. halepense*), widely distributed in northern and central Chile (*S. halepense* is a serious agricultural weed from Arica and Parinacota to the region of Araucanía and Easter Island) (Matthei, 1995). *Zea mays* is cultivated (corn), but also commonly found in roadsides. Tribe **Paniceae** is represented by some 39 species in 11 genera, most of them have been mentioned as summer weed of agricultural fields in Chile. Genus *Cenchrus* contains seven species, from northern and central Chile, some of them reported as common weeds (*C. incertus*, *C. clandestinus*, *C. myosuroides*, *C. chilensis*, *C. longisetus*). In addition, all species of genus *Digitaria* in Chile have been reported as weeds in agricultural fields, however, the most important because of its geographical distribution is *D. sanguinalis*, living from Huasco (Atacama) to Valdivia (Los Rios) and Juan Fernández. *Digitaria setigera* and *D. violascens* are introduced weeds in Easter Island (Matthei, 1995). *Eriochloa montevidensis* has been reported only from Valle de Azapa (Arica) as a weed in agricultural and ruderal fields. *Melinis repens* was also reported as a weed species introduced in Easter Island (Matthei, 1995). *Dichanthelium sabulorum* occurs in central-southern Chile (Maule, Bío-Bío). *Echinochloa* includes three species (*E. colona*, *E. crus-galli*, and *E. crus-pavonis*), all of them important weeds of rice fields. Genus *Panicum* includes four or five species, two of them weeds of

Ten species of *Paspalum* have been reported, most of them as summer weeds in corn, sugar beets, rice, and other crops (Matthei, 1995). Genus *Setaria* also includes several important weed species in Chile, growing in vineyards, sugar beet, orchards, etc: *S. parviflora*, *S*. *pumila*,

Subfamily Chloridoideae comprises 16 genera and 41 species. Most of the genera are represented in Chile by only 1, 2 or 3 species. The largest genus is *Eragrostis*, comprising 12 species and two varieties (Escobar et al., 2011). Chloridoideae are present in northern, central and Southern Chile but they are rare in Austral Chile. *Bouteloua* comprises only one Arica and Parinacota, in semi-desert slopes of the Andean foothills of Arica, above 2000 m of

**5.2.3 Danthonioideae P.H. Linder & N.P. Baker** 

var. *aureofulva*, and *R. quirihuense* are endemic species.

ruderal and agricultural places, *P. capillare* and *P. dichotomiflorum*.

**5.3 Panicoideae Link** 

*S. verticillata*, *S. viridis*.

**5.4 Chloridoideae Kunth ex Beilschm** 

Fig. 5. Collection effort and species richness of Poaceae in the fifteen Chilean political regions. Each point represents at least one specimen.

Systematic Diversity of the Family Poaceae (Gramineae) in Chile 91

Chile in salt marshes, from Concepción (Bío-Bío) to Chiloé (Los Lagos) as the dominant species of the association Sarcocornio-Spartinetum densiflorae (San Martín et al., 2006). In the same habitats are usually found species of genus Distichlis; D. spicata, can also grow as a

The family Poaceae is represented in Chile by 523 species in 122 genera and eight subfamilies. Fifty eight species from 23 genera are endemic. *Megalachne* and *Gymnachne* are endemic to Chile. Endemic species represent about 11% of the Chilean grass flora. More than 20% are introduced species. Our data, based mostly on the collections of the two most important Chilean herbaria (CONC, SGO), indicate that the present knowledge of the Chilean Poaceae is good enough. The observed species richness reaches over 88% of the estimated species richness. However, the collection index calculated for the different political regions indicates a weak collection effort in some regions (e.g. O'Higgins, Tarapacá and Aysén). New expeditions to these regions are necessary to complete the inventory, because the knowledge of the species richness depends directly on its representation in the

**SUBFAMILY BAMBUSOIDEAE** LUERSS.

**SUBFAMILY EHRHARTOIDEAE** LINK

**SUBFAMILY POOIDEAE** BENTH.

**6.** *Melica* L.**:** *M. argentata* E. Desv., *M*. *cepacea* (Phil.) Scribn., *M. commersonii* Nees ex Steud., *M. longiflora* Steud., *M. mollis* Phil., *M. paulsenii* Phil., *M. poecilantha* E.

**7.** *Amelichloa* Arriaga & Barkworth: *A. brachychaeta* (Godr.) Arriaga & Barkworth, *A. brevipes* (E. Desv.) Arriaga & Barkworth, *A. caudata* (Trin.) Arriaga & Barkworth **8.** *Anatherostipa* (Hack. ex Kunze) Peñailillo: *A. bomanii* (Hauman) Peñailillo, *A. mucronata* (Griseb.) F. Rojas, *A. rigidiseta* (Pilg.) Peñailillo, *A. venusta* (Phil.)

**1.** *Chusquea* Kunth: *C. andina* Phil., *C. ciliata* Phil., *C. culeou* E. Desv., *C. cumingii* Nees, *C. fernandeziana* Phil., *C. macrostachya* Phil., *C. montana* Phil. fma. *montana*, **C.** *montana* fma. *nigricans*, *C. quila* Kunth, *C. uliginosa* Phil. and *C.* 

weed of orchards and ruderal places (Matthei, 1995).

**6. Conclusions** 

herbaria collections.

**Tribe Bambuseae** Dumort.

**Tribe Ehrharteae** Nevski

**Tribe Oryzeae** Dumort.

**Tribe Brachypodieae** Harz

**Tribe Meliceae** Link ex Endl.

**Tribe Stipeae** Dumort.

**3.** *Oryza* L.: \**O. sativa* L.

**Subtribe Chusqueinae** Soderstr. & R.P. Ellis

**2.** *Ehrharta* Thunb.: \**E. calycina* Sm.

Desv., *M. violacea* Cav.

**4.** *Brachypodium* P. Beauv.**:** \**B. distachyon* (L.) P. Beauv.

**5.** *Glyceria* R. Br.**:** \**G. fluitans* R. Br., *G. multiflora* Steud.

*valdiviensis* E. Desv.

altitude (Matthei, 1973). Chloris comprises three species; all introduced (*C. gayana*, *C. radiata* and *C. virgata*). *Chloris gayana* is native from Africa (Senegal); in Chile it is found only in Easter Island (Anderson, 1974; Matthei, 1995). The other two species grow in Northern Chile. *Cynodon nitidus* is endemic to Chile. *Cynodon dactylon* is a common weed in ruderal places, both in continental Chile and Easter Island. *Eleusine indica* is found only in Easter Island. *Eleusine tristachya* is a common weed of gardens as well as orchards and meadows in Central Chile. Genus *Eragrostis* comprises 12 species, eight of them native and four introduced.

Fig. 6. Number of Endemic, introduced, and native non-endemic species in the fifteen political regions of Chile.

Fig. 7. *Chusquea culeou* in Aysén, Chile (A. Solís).

*Eragrostis pycnantha, E. peruviana, E. weberbaueri, E. nigricans,* and *E. kuschelii* are restricted to Northern Chile. *Eragrostis peruviana* and *E. kuschelii* grow in Islas Desventuradas (approx. 26°S). *Eragrostis atrovirens* and *E. tenuifolia*, introduced from Eurasia, grow in Easter Island. *Eragrostis polytricha* grows in Central Chile. Spartina densiflora (austral cordgrass), a species probably native from the east coast of South-America (Bortolus, 2006), has been reported as an invasive species in North America, Europe and Africa (Ayres et al., 2004); it grows in Chile in salt marshes, from Concepción (Bío-Bío) to Chiloé (Los Lagos) as the dominant species of the association Sarcocornio-Spartinetum densiflorae (San Martín et al., 2006). In the same habitats are usually found species of genus Distichlis; D. spicata, can also grow as a weed of orchards and ruderal places (Matthei, 1995).
