Abstract:The advances in systematics of adaptively radiated Eleusine (Poaceae), involving inflorescence typology, comparative morphology, cytogenetics, molecular phylogeny, were overviewed. Systematic position for Eleusine as a member of subtribe Eleusininae has been verified based on molecular phylogenic analysis, the common characters of Eleusine included three subtypes of inflorescences, seven forms of genome, tetraploids originated from hybridization between diploids, C4 grasses adapted to the mosaic climatic region of semi-arid and semi-humid in east Africa. Based on reliable fossil record and currently geographic distribution, it suggest that Eleusine has originated in east Africa during the late Miocene, and radiated during the Pliocene-Pleistocene interval. The integrating investigation of molecular phylogeny, cytogenetics, paleogeology, paleoclimate data could provide evidence for polyploid orgin and lineage diversification of Eleusine.
