TAXONOMIC STUDIES IN THE GENUS PANICUM L. MOHAMMED MATIUR RAHMAN Ph.D. UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH Dedicated to the memory of my mother and to my father CONTENTS Abstract XI Acknowledgement xii List of Figures xiv List of Tables xvi PART I INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL ACCOUNT OF PANICUM 1 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Objectives of the thesis 1 1.2 Background of work 1 1.3 The genus Pan/cum 4 CHAPTER 2 TAXONOMIC HISTORY OF PANICUM 6 2.1 Pre-Linnaean history 6 2.2 Linnaeus's treatment of Panicum 6 2.3 The type of Panicum 9 2.4 Post-Linnaean history up to the end of the nineteenth century 10 2.5 History of infrageneric classification 11 CHAPTER 3 ECOGEOGRAPHY AND ENDEMISM OF PANICUM 16. 3.1 Geographical distribution and Endemism 16 3.2 Ecology 19 PART II ASSESSMENT OF TAXONOMIC CHARACTERS AND THEIR VARIATION 21 Iv I CHAPTER 4 MACROMORPHOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION 22 4.1 Materials and methods 22 4.2 Characters observed, enumerated and evaluated 23 4.2.1 Roots 23 4.2.2 Rhizomes 24 4.2.3 Culms 25 4.2.4 Duration and growth habit 26 4.2.5 Leaf sheaths 27 4.2.6 Leaf blade 28 4.2.7 Ligule 29 4.2.8 Inflorescence 32 4.2.9 Spikelet 35 4.2.10 Gaping of spikelets at anthesis 44 4.2.11 Pedicel 44 4.2.12 Glumes 45 4.2.13 Lower glume 48 4.2.14 Upper glume 52 4.2.15 Lower lemma 56 4.2.16 Upper floret 58 4.2.17 Flower 65 4.2.18 Lodicules 65 4.2.19 Stamens 69 4.2.20 Gynoecium 69 4.2.21 Carvopsis 69 CHAPTER 5 ANATOMICAL INVESTIGATION OF LEAF BLADE 71 V 5.1 Materials and methods 71 5.1.1 Preparation 72 5.1.2 Rinsing 72 5.1.3 Desilicification 73 5.1.4 Rinsing 74 5.1.5 Dehydration 74 5.1.6 Infiltration 75 5.1.7 Sectioning 76 5.1.8 Mounting ribbons 76 5.1.9 De-waxing 77 5.1.10 Staining 78 5.1.11 Mounting 79 5:1.12 Cleaning slides 79 5.2 Enumeration and evaluation of characters observed 79 5.2.1 Introduction 79 5.2.2 Outline of the lamina in transverse section 82 5.2.3 Adaxial and abaxial ribs and furrows 83 5.2.4 Vascular bundles 84 5.2.5 Vascular bundle sheaths 86 5.2.6 Non-Kranz anatomy 86 5.2.7 Kranz anatomy 103 5.2.8 Kranz M.S. anatomy 106 5.2.9 Kranz P.S. anatomy 108 5.2.10 Keel, rhidrib and median vascular bundle 110 5.2.11 Sclerenchyma 112 5.2.12 Mesophyll 113 5.2.13 Epidermal cells in transverse section 115 5.2.14 Bulliform cells 115 VI 5.2.15 Other epidermal cells 116 5.2.16 Macrohairs 116 5.2.17 Prickles and hooks 117 5.2.18 Papillae 117 CHAPTER 6 MICROMORPHOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION 119 6.1 Introduction 119 6.2 Materials and methods 119 6.3 Enumeration and evaluation of characters Leaf blade 120 6.3.1 Long cells 120 6.3.2 Short cells 121 6.3.3 Silica bodies 124 6.3.4 Stomata 127 6.3.5 Interstomatal cells 130 6.3.6 Epidermal appendages 133 6.3.7 Microhairs 133 6.3.8 Macrohairs 136 6.3.9 Prickles 139 6.3.10 Papillae 144 6.4 Enumeration and evaluation of characters : Upper anthecium and pedicel 147' 6.4.1 Upper anthecium 147 6.4.2 Pedicel 148 PART III INFRAGENERIC TREATMENT OF PANICUM FROM THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT AND S.E. ASIA 149 CHAPTER 7 CONCEPT OF CATEGORIES 150 VII 7.1 Introduction 150 7.2 Genus 150 7.3 Subgenus and section 153 7.4 Species 153 7.5 Subspecies 155 7.6 Variety 156 CHAPTER 8 INFRAGENERIC CLASSIFICATION 157 8.1 Introductory comments 157 8.2 Synopsis of the subgenera and sections as recognised in this work 159 8.3 Generic description and key to subgenera and sections 160 8.4 Systematic account and discussion of the infrageneric groups 165 8.5 Relationship 186 8.6 General discussion on infrageneric concepts 188 CHAPTER 9 TAXIMETRIC ANALYSIS OF INFRAGENERIC TAXA 191 9.1 Introduction . 191 9.2 Results and discussion 192 9.3 Conclusion 198 PART IV TAXONOMIC REVISION OF THE SPECIES OF PANICUM FROM THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT AND S.E. ASIA 201 CHAPTER 10 METHOD OF PRESENTATION 202 10.1 Introduction 202 VIII 10.2 Concepts in the usage of categories 203 10.3 Keys 203 10.4 Descriptions 203 10.5 Citation of specimens 204 10.6 Typification 204 10.7 Relationship 205 CHAPTER 11 TAXONOMIC DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIES 207 11.1 Key to the species 207 11.2 Taxonomic descriptions 213 11.3 Miscellaneous notes 311 CHAPTER 12 GEOGRAPHICAL OUTLINE, TOPOGRAPHY, CLIMATE AND PHYTOGEOGRAPHY 314 12.1 Introduction 314 12.2 Geographical outline 314 12.3 Topography 315 12.4 Climate 319 12.5 Phytogeography 320 CHAPTER 13 DISTRIBUTION AND ENDEMISM 326 I 13.1 Distribution 326 13.2 Endemism 339 13.3 Discussion 340 Ix PART V PANICUM IN AUSTRALIA 341 CHAPTER 14 PHYTOGEOGRAPHY, TOPOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE OF AUSTRALIA 342 14.1 Introduction 342 14.2 Phytogeography, topography and climate 342 14.2.1 Phytogeography 342 14.2.2 Topography 343 14.2.3 Climate 344 CHAPTER 15 ENUMERATION OF THE PANICUM SPECIES FOUND IN AUSTRALIA 345 15.1 Introduction 345 15.2 Key to the native species of Australia 345 15.3 Enumeration of the species 348 CHAPTER 16 AN ANALYSIS OF THE PANICUM 'FLORA' OF AUSTRALIA WITH AN EVALUATION OF ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THOSE OF THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT AND S.E. ASIA 358 APPENDIX 1 364 APPENDIX 2 368 APPENDIX 3 372 APPENDIX 4 373 U BIBLIOGRAPHY 374 x ABSTRACT This thesis contains sixteen chapters, grouped into five parts. Part I introduces the work, introduces the genus Panicum, reviews the taxonomic history of Panicum and its general ecology and geography. Part II discusses the taxonomic characters available for Panicum classification. Macromorphological, micromorphological and anatomical characters, the main data gathered in the work, are defined and evaluated for the Pan/cum species of the Indian subcontinent & S.E. Asia. Part Ill is an infrageneric classification of Indian subcontinental & S.E. Asiatic Panicum including a discussion of taxonomic concepts employed, with keys to subgenera and sections. Three new sections have been recognised. A comparative account of a taximetric classification made in parallel is included. Part IV contains a formal taxonomic revision of the Pan/cum species of the Indian subcontinent & S.E. Asia, incorporating descriptions of species recognised, with some illustrations, a key, notes on putative interspecific relationships, distribution and endemism. Two new species are described and two new combinations made. Seven species, one subspecies, and three varieties have been reduced to synonymy. For two species, lectotypes have been selected. Part V reviews Pan/cam in Australia. Species distribution is discussed in relation to physiography and climate. A conspectus of species, with a key, notes on types and diagnostic features, is provided. The phytogeographical connection of the Pan/cum flora of Australia and that of the Indian subcontinent and S.E. Asia is briefly discussed. Appendix 1 and 2 contain two manuscript papers accepted for publication Appendix 3 contains the taximetric data matrix. The table of similarity coefficients forms Appendix 4. XI ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This work was done under the supervision of Dr. P.M. Smith. It is with great pleasure I offer him my sincerest appreciation, thanks and gratitude for his cheerful assistance, advice and encouragement throughout the progress of the study. I remain deeply indebted to him in numerous other ways including his negotiating with the British Council to produce the finance, which made this study possible. For this financial assistance, I am indebted to the British Council, particularly to Mr. George Morrison and Miss Susan Sandeman in Britain, and Mr. PA.. Howson in Bangladesh. Thanks are also due to my second supervisor, Dr. D. G. Mann who has been very supportive. thank Bangladesh National Herbarium, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council and the Bangladesh Ministry of Agriculture for allowing me a study leave during the period of my stay The work was carried out at the Department of Botany, University of Edinburgh as well as in the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. I would like to extend my thanks to the authorities of both institutions, and their staffs, who offered help in various ways. I am grateful to the curators of various herbaria for making available materials on loan and providing facilities for study. For financial support to make study visits and attending symposia abroad, I am grateful to the Department of Botany, University of Edinburgh, the British Council, the Royal Society of London, and the Smithsonian Institution, U.S.A. wish to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to Mr. Ian Hedge of the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh who courteously and promptly answered my XII queries and requests as well as offered help in various other ways. My sincere thanks are due to Dr. J.F. Veldkamp (Rijksherbarium, Leiden), and Mr. Steve Renvoize (Kew) for their assistance and encouragement during my study visits, and to Dr. Zuloaga. of San Isidro, Argentina, and Dr. R.P. Ellis of Pretoria, South Africa for prompt and kind responses to my communications. Drs. W.D. Clayton and T.W. Cope at Kew, and Mr. B.L. Burtt and Dr. R.R. Mill at Edinburgh are well remembered for their help and useful suggestions.