Variation in Needle Morphology of Natural Populations of Abies nephrolepis Maxim, and A. koreana Wilson in Korea

摘要

Characteristics of needle morphology and anatomy were examined in 14 populations of Abies nephrolepis (Trautv.) Maxim, and A. koreana Wilson. Additionally we studied the classification index to distinguish between the species by the method of discriminant analysis. Characteristics of needle for A. nephrolepis could be distinguished from those for A. koreana by flatten arrangement, thin and long length for needle form, many stomata row, and marginal position of resin duct. Nested ANOVA showed that there were statistically significant differences among populations as well as among individuals within populations in all 9 needle traits. For the needle indices such as needle thickness, number of stomata row, and the distance between resin duct and vascular for both species, variance components among populations were larger than those among individuals within populations. The characteristics that contributed most to the separation of A. nephrolepis and A. koreana according to the discriminant analysis using stepdisc procedures were needle index and thickness of needle, needle arrangement index, distance between resin duct and vascular, and number of stomata row.