Taxonomic revision of the Koeleria splendens C. Presl group (Poaceae) in Italy based on morphological characters

The Italian populations of Koeleria splendens C. Presl, critical group of the Mediterranean flora, are examined from the taxonomic and nomenclatural viewpoints. On the basis of literature data, herbarium investigations and field surveys, manymorphologically well-differentiated taxa have been recognized. This group is widespread in the Italian peninsula and Sicily,where it is represented by the following units: K. splendens C. Presl, with four subspecies [subsp. splendens, subsp. grandiflora(Bertol. ex Schultes) Domin, subsp. brutia Brullo, Gangale & Uzunov, and subsp. ophiolitica subsp. nova], K. lucana sp.nova, K. subcaudata (Ascherson & Graebner) Ujhelyi, K. australis Kerner, K. callieri (Domin) Ujhelyi, and K. insubrica sp.nova. As concerns their distribution, both K. splendens and K. lucana are endemic to the Italian territory, while the otherspecies occur also in some eastern Mediterranean countries. The taxonomic position of K. lobata, recently treated by someauthors as a synonym of K. splendens, is also examined. A phylogenetic analysis was performed using morphologicalcharacters. Finally, a detailed iconography of the main morphological features and an analytical key of the Italian taxa (K.lobata included) are given.