Morphometric study of three closely related South American species of Hordeum section Stenostachys (Poaceae)
This study investigates the morphologically distinguishable characteristics of Hordeum santacrucense Parodi et Nicora and Hordeum setifolium Parodi et Nicora, two recently described species from southern South America that are very similar morphologically, and Hordeum patagonicum (Hauman) Covas, also from southern South America and morphologically similar to the above two species. The three entities have not been kept at the species level by some authors. This paper provides the results of a morphological investigation as justification for their retention at the specific level. The character lemma backs pubescent in about half lower part distinguishes H. patagonicum from the other two; the character lodicules glabrous, or with one or two cilia distinguishes H. setifolium from H. santacrucense with ciliate lodicule margins. Key words: South American Hordeum, multivariate analysis, lodicules, taxonomy.