ANATOMÍA DE LA EPIDERMIS FOLIAR EN LAS ESPECIES MEXICANAS DEL GÉNERO MUHLENBERGIA (POACEAE)

Abstract

A leaf epidermal survey on the abaxial surface was conducted to gather critical data for interpreting relationships among 113 species of Muhlenbergia from Mexico. Phenetic analyses using 21 crucial characters, support recognition of three major species groups. These three major species groups are concordant with previously reported groups based on morphological characters, while some are not concordant with the proposed subgenera: Muhlenbergia and Trichochloa, based on leaf anatomical characters of transversal sections. A profile of epidermal characters seems not to be unique for each species, but more characteristic for groups. Descriptions and photographs of the main characters are given for the genus and groups of similar species.