Two new species of Helictotrichon (Pooideae: Aveneae) from South Africa

Abstract

In a taxonomic revision of Helictotrichon for southern Africa, Schweickerdt (1937) recognized 12 indigenous species. Except for one, all of these species are endemic to southern Africa, several of which are rare and known from very few collections. A possible new species of Helictotrichon, H. sp. (Ellis 4663), is mentioned by Gibbs Russell et al. (1990). During a taxonomic revision of the genus, the status of this new species was confirmed and a second new species was identified. Note that at PRE, specimens of the second new species were initially identified as H. namaquense Schweick., hence the distribution map supplied for H. namaquense in Gibbs Russell et al. (1990) applies to this new species. In the present contribution, the two new species are described, illustrated and compared with similar members of the genus.