Kalinia, a New North American Genus for a Species Long Misplaced in Eragrostis (Poaceae, Chloridoideae)

Eragrostis obtusiflora (Poaceae, Chloridoideae), a species distributed from the southwestern United States to central Mexico, has long been recognized for exhibiting morphological and anatomical features atypical of Eragrostis. Phylogenetic analyses of nuclear internal transcribed spacer sequences and plastid sequences demonstrate that E. obtusiflora should be excluded from Eragrostis (Eragrostideae) and instead be placed in Cynodonteae, although its position within this tribe was unresolved. Additional data, including anatomical and micromorphological characters, suggest a close relationship with Distichlis. However, differences in spikelet and rhizome characters prevent its inclusion in Distichlis. Therefore, the species is transferred to a newly described genus, Kalinia, as K. obtusiflora.