Traditional morphometrics in plant systematics and its role in palm systematics

Abstract

A review is given of the role of traditional morphometrics in plant systematics. The three most commonly used techniques of data analysis – Cluster Analysis, Principal Component Analysis and Discriminant Analysis – are discussed. The kinds of data that can be taken from palm specimens and the problems of using specimens as data sources are outlined. Published systematic studies of palms using traditional morphometrics are reviewed. More recent studies indicate that: hybrid zones between species may be common; infraspecific diversity is greater than previously suspected; there may be more than double the currently accepted number of species; and our current knowledge of morphological variation in palms is superficial. A procedure for scientific systematics is given, which incorporates traditional morphometric methods. © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006, 151, 103–111.