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Taxonomic studies in the Fuirena pubescens complex (Cyperaceae) in Kenya
Author(s) -
Muasya Abraham M.,
Baquar S. R.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
nordic journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.333
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1756-1051
pISSN - 0107-055X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1756-1051.1995.tb00171.x
Subject(s) - biology , botany , taxon , cyperaceae , poaceae
Muasya. A. M. & Baauar, S. R. 1995. Taxonomic studies in the Fuirena pubescens complex (Cyperaceae) in Kenya. — Nord. J. Bot. 15: 407–410. Copenhagen. ISSN 0107–055X. Three taxa in the Fuirena pubescens complex were investigated morphologically, palynologically, and cytologically in order to determine their taxonomic identity and appropriate rank. The taxa differ in both morphology and chromosome number. The three former varieties, F. pubescens var. pubescens , var. major , and var. buchananii , are here recognised as distinct species, with var. major and var. buchananii being reinstated as F. pachyrrhiza and F. welwitschii , respectively. Fuirena pubescens and F. pachyrrhiza have terete spikelets and leaf blades more than 5 mm wide, but the former has a meiotic chromosome number of n=21 and white entire nutlets, while the latter has a chromosome number of n=24 and dark‐greenish tuberculate nutlets. Fuirena welwitschii is distinguished by having a 5‐angular spikelets, chromosome number n=40, and brownish tuberculate nutlets.