Caryopsis isoenzymes of Echinocloa weed species as an aid for taxonomic discrimination

The number of recognized taxa within the genus Echinocloa Beauv. varies from one author to another. As the morphological variation is quite continuous, it is difficult to establish different taxa. In this work, caryopsis morphometry and isoenzymes were used as an aid for the discrimination of the eastern Spain species. The multivariate analysis of isoenzymes clearly defines three species: E. colonum, E. crus-galli and E. oryzicola and a group formed by E. hispidula and E. oryzoides in which the variability between populations of E. hispidula is higher than the variability between both taxa.