Systematics of the Guadua angustifolia complex (Poaceae: Bambusoideae)

• Published in: Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden Vol. 79; no. 4; pp. 737 - 769
• Main Authors: Young, S.M. (New York Natural Heritage Program, Latham, NY), Judd, W.S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: St. Louis, MO Missouri Botanical Garden 1992
• Subjects: AMERICA LATINA; AMERIQUE LATINE; ANALISIS ESTADISTICO; ANALYSE STATISTIQUE; ANATOMIA DE LA PLANTA; ANATOMIE VEGETALE; Bamboos; Biological and medical sciences; Bracts; Colors; DISTRIBUCION NATURAL; DISTRIBUTION NATURELLE; Florets; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION; guadua aculeata; GUADUA ANGUSTIFOLIA; guadua angustifolia subsp. chacoensis, comb. et stat. nov; guadua chacoensis; Hair; KEYS; LATIN AMERICA; Leaves; Ligules; NATURAL DISTRIBUTION; NEW COMBINATION; NOMENCLATURA; NOMENCLATURE; PLANT ANATOMY; Plant cytology, morphology, systematics, chorology and evolution; PLANT MORPHOLOGY; Plants; PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS; Spermatophyta; Spikelets; STATISTICAL ANALYSIS; Stems; Systematics (diagnosis, chromosome numbers); TAXONOMIA; TAXONOMIE; TAXONOMY; Monocotyledones; Geographic distribution; Gramineae; Taxonomy; Morphology; Tropical zone; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Taxonomic key; Chromosomic number; Woody plant; Species complex
• ISSN: 0026-6493; 2162-4372
• DOI: 10.2307/2399719

Guadua angustifolia Kunth is the largest and most economically important bamboo in the Western Hemisphere. It is the primary source of building material for urban and rural dwellings in many areas within its geographical range, especially in Colombia and Ecuador. Guadua aculeata Rupr. ex Fourn. from Central America and Bambusa (Guadua) chacoensis N. Rojas from Argentina and Paraguay are two closely related taxa that were often confused with or identified as G. angustifolia. These three taxa comprise the Guadua angustifolia complex. A detailed morphological analysis was performed on all three species using traditional taxonomic methods as well as principal components analysis. The Guadua angustifolia complex was also compared with other sympatric species of the genus. The results indicate that G. angustifolia should be regarded as one polymorphic species consisting of two subspecies, subspecies angustifolia and subspecies chacoensis, which are differentiated by a mosaic of vegetative and reproductive characters. Subspecies angustifolia consists of populations from Central America (formally G. aculeata) and north-western South America that exhibit variability in certain vegetative and reproductive characters.