Synoptic taxonomy of Cortaderia Stapf (Danthonioideae, Poaceae) Author Testoni, Daniel Herbario BBB, Departamento de Biologia, Bioquimica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional del Sur, San Juan 670, CP- 8000 Bahia Blanca, Argentina daniel.testoni@uns.edu.ar Author Linder, H. Peter Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, CH- 8008 Zurich, Switzerland text PhytoKeys 2017 2017-01-11 76 39 69 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.76.10808 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.76.10808 1314-2003-76-39 FFBD980EFF8A8924FFD5FF9FFF903809 238999 16. Cortaderia columbiana (Pilg.) Pilg., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 37 (Beibl. 85): 65. 1906. Fig. 1L Gynerium columbianum Pilg., Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 27: 31. 1899. Type: Colombia, Merida, sine data, J. W. K. Moritz 1558 & 1559 (lectotype, designated by Connor & Edgar, Taxon 23: 597 (1974): B 10 0217508! (http://ww2.bgbm.org/Herbarium/specimen.cfm?Barcode=B100217508); isotype: US! frag. ex B). Note: The other sheet collected by Moritz (B 10 027507) is Cortaderia hapalotricha ( Connor and Edgar 1974 ). Cortaderia parviflora Swallen, Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 29: 253. 1948. Type: Venezuela, between La Trampa and Casadero, State of Merida, 28 April 1944, J. A. Steyermark 56182 (lectotype, designated as holotype by Connor & Edgar, Taxon 23: 600 (1974): US 00133441!). Etymology. - ana , indicating connection. From Republic of Colombia. Taxonomy. Connor & Edgar (1974) imply a similarity to Cortaderia hapalotricha , but note that the panicle is longer, more laxly flowered, and dull brown, and that this separates the two species. Cortaderia columbiana is superficially similar to Cortaderia hapalotricha , and also has short felty hair on upper leaf surface above the ligule, but is different by the shorter setae. Leaf anatomically they can be separated by the presence of a continuous lignified sub-epidermal layer on the abaxial side. It is also very similar to Cortaderia roraimensis by the lemma shape, in particular with the very short setae. However, the plant bases differ: in Cortaderia roraimensis the leaf bases are lacerated and curly, a feature less well developed in Cortaderia columbiana . Possibly the best way to separate the two species might be by the much more villous leaf margins, and often the villous adaxial leaf surface of Cortaderia columbiana . Geographically, the two species are also adjacent. The leaf anatomy is like that of Cortaderia hapalotricha , but differs by a continuous sclerenchyma layer below the abaxial epidermis.