THE NUMERICAL TAXONOMY OF SOME SPECIES OFPOPULUSBASED ONLY ON VEGETATIVE CHARACTERS

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Abstract
Summary: This study examines whether a satisfactory classification can be obtained from phenetic clustering of herbarium specimens based on vegetative characters alone. Twelve leaf and twig characters of 731 specimens in 13 taxa within the genusPopulusL. were subjected to standard numerical phenetic techniques. A classification based on character means for each taxon corresponded well to the established classification. Another classification based on 68 individual specimens, while showing considerable phenetic affinities of putatively related individuals, yielded an overall unsatisfactory classification. Some sections of the genus were easier to delimit by vegetative characters than others.
Funding Information
  • National Science Foundation (DEB8011131)