Intra-specific differentiation of Juniperus phoenicea in the western Mediterranean region revealed in morphological multivariate analysis

摘要

The biometrical comparison of nine populations of Juniperus phoenicea from the western part of the species geographic range was the aim of the present study. Seven features of the cones and seeds, two of the shoots and leaves and eight proportions were studied biometrically and analysed using statistical methods. Two of analyzed populations, supposed to be representatives of J. phoenicea subsp. phoenicea, are closely related each other. The seven other populations representing J. phoenicea subsp. turbinata, appeared much more variable and differed each other at higher level. The results confirm the biochemical and genetic differentiation of the species, however, it can partly be an effect of smaller number of comparedpopulations of subsp. phoenicea. The individuals included into each of distinguished subspecies are different and only a few individuals of subsp. turbinata from the Atlantic coast in Portugal were found to be joined into the group of subsp. phoenicea. The differences between populations of subsp. turbinata are higher than between those of subsp. phoenicea. The most distant population of the subsp. turbinata, from Cabo Rizuto in Italy appears also the most different from all the other. It results probably from the isolation for a longer time.Additional key words: plant variation, taxonomy, biogeography, Cupressaceae, biometry