Cortaderia modesta ( Doell ) Hack., Ark. Bot. 9(5): 4. 1909.

Testoni, Daniel & Linder, H. Peter, 2017, Synoptic taxonomy of Cortaderia Stapf (Danthonioideae, Poaceae), PhytoKeys 76, pp. 39-69 : 53-55

6. Cortaderia modesta ( Doell) Hack., Ark. Bot. 9(5): 4. 1909. Figs 1F , 2F , 3B

Gynerium modestum Döll, Fl. Bras. [Martius] 2(3): 240. 1880. Type: Brasil, near Rio de Janeiro, Serra dos Órgãos, au Frade (2 ou 3 mois après l’incendie de la forêt), 11-X-1869, A. F. M Glaziou 4352 (lectotype, designated by Connor & Edgar, Taxon 23: 600 (1974): W 10406!; isolectotypes K!, NY!).

Gynerium ramosum Hack., Arq. Mus. Nac. Rio de Janeiro 13: 73. 1903. Gynerium modestum f. ramosa (Hack.) Hack., Ark. Bot. 9(5): 4. 1909. Type: Brasil, Campo 2100 m, 18 Dec. 1895, P. K. H. Dusén s.n. (lectotype, designated here: W!).

Etymology.

modesta (Latin) = moderate, presumably referring to the culms of average height.

Nomenclatural comments.

The locality information given by Connor and Edgar (1974) is incorrect. Note that Glaziou made several collections of the same species from the same area.

Common names.

cabeça de negro, capim-de-anta.

Taxonomy.

Some specimens show a poorly developed axillary inflorescence developed at the penultimate node of the flowering culm. The almost awnless lemmas, with the paleas as long as the lemmas, and the very dense callus hairs compared to the short lemma back hairs, are almost unique in the genus. Its closest relative might be Cortaderia vaginata from Santa Catarina, further south along the Brazilian Atlantic coast. It is readily distinguished from Cortaderia vaginata by the persistent leaf sheaths and the awnless lemmas. According to herbarium labels the plant forms massive tussocks with persistent red, burnt sheaths.

Figures

Figure 1. Lemmas of selected species of Cortaderia. A Cortaderia selloana, Juergens 40 (B) B Cortaderia araucana, Borchers s. n. (US) C Cortaderia speciosa, P. M. Peterson 12766 (US) D Cortaderia vaginata, L. B. Smith, P. R. Reitz & R. Klein 7761 (B) E Cortaderia egmontiana, P. M. Peterson, R. J. Soreng & N. Refulio-Rodriguez 17508 (US) F Cortaderia modesta, A. Chase 8288 (US) G Cortaderia hieronymi, A. Burkart et al. 30395 (P) - note that awn and setae are much longer than illustrated H Cortaderia nitida, S. Laegaard 52786 (K) I Cortaderia sericantha, E. Asplund 17175 (B) J Cortaderia bifida, D. N. Smith & J. Cabanillas 7167 (US) K Cortaderia hapalotricha, J. C. Solomon & R. Chevalier 16620 L Cortaderia columbiana, J. P. Schulz 318 (US). All at same magnification.

Figure 2. Leaf anatomy of Cortaderia, as evident from transverse sections. A-B Cortaderia selloana (Villamil 11738) C Cortaderia speciosa (Testoni 644) D Cortaderia vaginata (Zanin 1654). Comparison of bulliform cells in Egmontiana group: E Cortaderia egmontiana (Testoni 634) F Cortaderia modesta (Carauta 927) G Cortaderia vaginata (Zanin 1654). Structures referred to in the descriptions are labelled as follows: 1, multi-layered abaxial sub-epidermal collenchyma layer; 2, aerenchyma; 3, chlorenchyma; 4, primary vascular bundle; 5, midrib; 6, colourless cells; 7, empty cells; 8, bulliform cells.

Figure 3. Leaf anatomy of Cortaderia, as evident from transverse sections. A Cortaderia egmontiana (Moore 2677) B Cortaderia modesta (Glaziou 17913) C Cortaderia hieronymi (Garcia 563) D Cortaderia nitida (Laegaard 53121) E Cortaderia boliviensis (Beck 11273); F Cortaderia sericantha (Ramsay 967); G Cortaderia echinata (Peterson 21587) H Cortaderia bifida (Renvoize 4202) I Cortaderia hapalotricha (Laegaard 53305) J Cortaderia roraimensis (Maguire 60448). Structures referred to in the descriptions are labelled as follows: 1, multi-layered abaxial sub-epidermal collenchyma layer; 2, adaxial islands of collenchyma in the abaxial grooves; 3, chlorenchyma; 4, primary vascular bundle; 5, midrib.