A taxonomy of Korean isopyroideae (ranunculaceae)

Abstract

To discuss the taxonomic dispositions of Korean Isopyroideae (Ranunculaceae) taxa, principal components analysis and cluster analysis were performed using quantitative and qualitative morphological characters. The principal components analysis revealed that the size and number of ovule, ovary width, ratio of style length/ovary length, filament length, sepal size, style length, leaf size, and ovary length are important characters to distinguish Korean Isopyroideae taxa. The cluster and principal components analyses based on both quantitative and qualitative characters demonstrate that Isopyrum mandshuricum is more closely related to Enemion raddeanum than to Semiaquilegia adoxoides. Even though Enemion is not separated from Isopyrum by quantitative characters, they are distinguished by qualitative charaters, suggesting that four taxa, Enemion, Semiaquilegia, Isopyrum and Aquilegia, should be recognized in Korean Isopyroideae. In addition, cluster analyses suggest that S. adoxoides could be separated from A...