Abstract

CASTRO-CASTRO, Arturo; RODRIGUEZ, Aarón; VARGAS-AMADO, Georgina  and  RAMIREZ-DELGADILLO, Raymundo. Morphological variation of the genus Prochnyanthes (Agavaceae). Act. Bot. Mex [online]. 2010, n.92, pp.29-49. ISSN 2448-7589.

The morphologic variation of the genus Prochnyanthes was analyzed by means of the examination of 29 characters, in a sample of 544 individuals from 19 localities. The Principal Components Analysis was used, which shows the variation trends, analyses the similarities among the classification units and identifes groups. Based on the morphological evidence, it was possible to recognize two phenotypes, considered as extremes of a morphological cline. Therefore, the morphological species concept of P. mexicana was broaden to include all the variation observed. Finally, the size and color of the perianth and the length of the pedicels did not show enough variation to identify groups and consequently P. mexicana is the only recognized species of the genus.

Keywords : Agavaceae; morphology; principal components analysis; Prochnyanthes.

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