Qualitative Morphological Traits Research Articles

Chemotaxonomy compared to morphological and anatomical taxonomy of five Hibiscus species.

Hibiscus is a charismatic genus of the Malvaceae family that is noted for its diversity, lacking identifiable characteristics for distinguishing its various species. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop authentication methods for genus delimitation and species delineation. The present study aims to discern the taxonomic relationships between the well-known, globally familiar, and economically important five Hibiscus species, namely: H. × rosa-sinensis, H. sabdariffa, H. schizopetalus, H. syriacus and H. tiliaceus based on traditional morphological and anatomical characteristics compared to the contemporary chemotaxonomy. In this context, the leaf-based methanolic extracts of the studied species were analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS) to estimate their secondary metabolites similarity. In addition, selected qualitative morphological and anatomical traits including leaf venation patterns, epidermal micromorphology, stomata types and trichomes diversity, petiole serial sectioning (outline, adaxial groove features, vasculature traces arrangement), and midrib characteristics of the studied species were investigated. The results of both chemotaxonomy and traditional taxonomy exhibited a remarkable agreement in the delineation of the five studied species. Specifically, the chemotaxonomy-based dendrogram separates the studied species into two main clusters with the H. sabdariffa as an outlier species in a single cluster and the remaining four species as another cluster with variant distances in its similarity indices. Similarly, the traditional morphological and anatomical characteristics revealed distinct traits for H. sabdariffa compared to the remaining four species. The findings of this study highlight the significance of integrating the structural features with phytochemicals profiling as a potential approach that could be harnessed for the delineation of the taxonomically challenging Hibiscus genus.

Cryptic diversity and speciation in an endemic copepod crustacean Harpacticella inopinata within Lake Baikal.

Ancient lakes are hotspots of species diversity, posing challenges and opportunities for exploration of the dynamics of endemic diversification. Lake Baikal in Siberia, the oldest lake in the world, hosts a particularly rich crustacean fauna, including the largest known species flock of harpacticoid copepods with some 70 species. Here, we focused on exploring the diversity and evolution within a single nominal species, Harpacticella inopinata Sars, 1908, using molecular markers (mitochondrial COI, nuclear ITS1 and 28S rRNA) and a set of qualitative and quantitative morphological traits. Five major mitochondrial lineages were recognized, with model-corrected COI distances of 0.20-0.37. A concordant pattern was seen in the nuclear data set, and qualitative morphological traits also distinguish a part of the lineages. All this suggests the presence of several hitherto unrecognized cryptic taxa within the baikalian H. inopinata, with long independent histories. The abundances, distributions and inferred demographic histories were different among taxa. Two taxa, H. inopinata CE and H. inopinata CW, were widespread on the eastern and western coasts, respectively, and were largely allopatric. Patterns in mitochondrial variation, that is, shallow star-like haplotype networks, suggest these taxa have spread through the lake relatively recently. Three other taxa, H. inopinata RE, RW and RW2, instead were rare and had more localized distributions on either coast, but showed deeper intraspecies genealogies, suggesting older regional presence. The rare taxa were often found in sympatry with the others and occasionally introgressed by mtDNA from the common ones. The mitochondrial divergence between and within the H. inopinata lineages is still unexpectedly deep, suggesting an unusually high molecular rate. The recognition of true systematic diversity in the evaluation and management of ecosystems is important in hotspots, as it is everywhere else, while the translation of the diversity into a formal taxonomy remains a challenge.

Associations among Qualitative Morphological Traits in Indigenous Camels of Ethiopia: A Multiple Correspondence Analysis

Camels play a crucial role in Ethiopia's livestock production and livelihoods, yet research on their phenotypic diversity is limited. This hinders the development of breeding programs and conservation strategies. This study aimed to address this gap by analyzing qualitative morphological traits in Ethiopian camel populations using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA), and to identify significant traits for potential use in breeding and conservation programs. Data on seven qualitative morphological traits were collected from 300 mature camels (150 from each district). Significant differences were found between districts for facial traits, specifically nose shape (p = 0.0153) and face profile (p = 0.0133). Other traits, including coat colour, hair type, ear orientation, and lip shape, did not show significant differences. MCA identified two main dimensions, explaining 26% of the total variance. The first dimension was associated with facial traits, while the second dimension was associated with coat colour and hair type. This study provides valuable insights into the morphological diversity of Ethiopian camel populations. The findings suggest that facial traits may be useful for differentiating camel populations and could be considered in breeding and conservation programs. Further research is needed to explore the genetic basis of these morphological differences.

Characterization and morphological diversity of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) genotypes based on descriptor traits

ABSTRACT An accurate and extensive study of the qualitative morphological diversity of sugarcane genotypes would allow their identification, conservation, and utilization in the sugarcane breeding program. The objectives of the study were to characterize and estimate the morphological diversity of sugarcane genotypes using qualitative traits. Data collected for 16 qualitative characters were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis to assess the overall patterns of morphological variation. The Shannon diversity index (H’) was calculated to estimate morphological diversity. The results indicated that the qualitative traits revealed high variability among 144 sugarcane genotypes. The most polymorphic character with the highest Shannon diversity index (H’) was stalk corky patchs. The H’ averaged across all countries for different characters was found to vary from 0.50 to 0.76 with an average of 0.61. The H’ pooled across characters by country of collection ranged from 0.00 to 0.83, with a general average of 0.62. Multivariate cluster analysis grouped the genotypes into four distinct clusters based on the relatedness and variation for all considered characters. Genotypes with close genetic relationships were grouped in a single cluster. The clustering pattern of the genotypes elucidated that genotypes originating from the same geographic locations did not form a single cluster. This shows that geographic diversity was not associated with genetic diversity, which possibly due to the continuous exchange of genetic material among countries. Finally, we conclude that the qualitative morphological traits evaluated in this study could be used for varietal identification, maintaining genetic diversity, and managing sugarcane germplasm.

Morphological characteristics and variability of traditional starch forming coix (Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen) populations from Mindanao Island, Philippines

Abstract. Bon SG, Antesco GP, Enicola EE. 2023. Morphological characteristics and variability of traditional starch forming coix (Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen populations from Mindanao Island, Philippines. Biodiversitas 24: 4382-4391. Adlay (Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen (Rom.Caill.) Stapf) is an underutilized crop in the Philippines with high potential. Characterization and elucidation of the available variability among the local adlay populations are essential information for its improvement and better utilization. The study aimed to characterize the qualitative morphological traits of 34 traditional adlay populations from Mindanao Provinces and assess diversity by the Shannon Index and similarity by multivariate clustering. Results showed that all populations shared the same morphotypes in five descriptors but were variable for the rest. Six populations showed intense leaf anthocyanin coloration, and 23 expressed upright growth habits. Three types of leaf blade colors were observed, while the intensity of anthocyanin coloration of culms was expressed in four types. Most populations had semi-pubescent or highly pubescent leaves, generally intermediate leaf orientation and non-glaucous leaves. Immature grains were generally light green but expressed four color types at maturity, mostly circular with furrows on the surface. Diversity Indices (H') ranged from low to high. Leaf blade pubescence, anthocyanin coloration of culm, and mature grain color had high H' values. Cluster analysis showed that the variability was narrow, where overall clustering achieved 0.50 similarity. At 0.65 similarity, three groups can be derived with three populations as outliers. Clustering can be attributed to the differences in seedling color, anthocyanin coloration, plant growth habit, immature grain color, mature grain color, and shape. The study established the morphological description of the qualitative traits of traditional Philippine adlay and assessed diversity to be generally intermediate, where populations can be clustered into subgroups according to the degree of morphotype similarities. Clustering, however, was not related to provenances. It is recommended to conduct further geographic germplasm sampling, marker-based characterization, and agronomic evaluation to dissect further the genetic diversity and crop potential of the local adlay populations.

Combined Morphological and Palynological Classification for Hibiscus syriacus L. (Malvaceae): Construction of the Diagnostic Classification Framework and Implications of Pollen Morphological Variation on Fruiting

Identifying useful taxonomic indicators for classifying Hibiscus syriacus L. (Malvaceae) cultivars can help address challenges in their homonymy and synonymy. Moreover, analyzing which pollen traits possibly lead to their successful fruiting can serve to guide the hybridization and breeding of H. syriacus. For the first time, this study classified 24 cultivars of H. syriacus based on 24 morphological and palynological indicators assessed for flowers, leaves, and pollen grains. These indicators were a mixture of quantitative and qualitative traits, measured to contribute to the identification and classification of H. syriacus cultivars. The results showed that the 24 H. syriacus cultivars could be classified into 2–6 clusters according to different taxonomic criteria. The leading diagnostic indicators were eight quantitative and eight qualitative traits, of which two new quantitative traits—the width of the spine base (SW) and average of the pollen grain radius and spine length (D-spine)—and five new qualitative traits—the amount of pollen surface spines (O-SA), whether the petals have the red center (B-RC), whether the pollen surface ruffles strongly (B-RS), the degree of pollen surface ruffling (O-DR), and relationship between calyx and bract (O-CB)—could be used as defining traits for H. syriacus cultivars owing to their robust contribution to the classification. The correlations between indicators for flowers, leaves, and pollen grains were explored, which revealed that the O-SA in H. syriacus was strongly tied to quantitative pollen traits. Furthermore, three qualitative morphological traits—whether the stamens are heterogeneous in terms of inner petals (B-IP), O-CB, and whether the leaf lobing is strong (B-LL)—were correlated with partial quantitative pollen traits. We also found that those H. syriacus cultivars with micro-spines or granulate on the pollen grain surface have higher fruiting rates; additionally, pollen diameter, spine length, and spine spacing might also be potential factors influencing successful breeding. The insights gained from this study could fill a key knowledge gap concerning the taxonomic criteria suitable for distinguishing H. syriacus cultivars. Our findings also provide timely information on how to understand the pollination process, especially those aspects leading to pollinator selection via pollen grain features, which could influence breeding programs and outcomes.

Morphological traits and sustainability of plus shea trees (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F.Gaertn.) in Côte d'Ivoire

Description of the subject. Shea tree (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F.Gaertn.) is an essential component of natural/semi-natural savannas and agroforestry systems of Africa. It contributes to local household incomes and represents an important cash crop for export. It is important to improve our knowledge about the viability and genetic diversity of “plus shea tree” (PST: shea trees whose genetic superiority has not yet been proven by an appropriate progeny test) genotypes to conserve the genetic diversity of the species and the potential for producing improved species. Objectives. We characterized the diversity of an in situ PST collection in Côte d’Ivoire and evaluated its long-term sustainability. Method. Twelve qualitative morphological traits were studied on 220 PSTs randomly sampled among 405 PSTs also randomly selected from in situ collections in the Bagoué and Tchologo districts of northern Côte d’Ivoire to assess in situ conservation sustainability. Results. Most qualitative morphological traits were highly diverse based on the Shannon diversity index (0.55-0.98 range) with significant differences between districts. Hierarchical ascending classification gathered the PSTs into three groups. The lack of sustainability of the in situ collection for long-term conservation of the species was confirmed because it is endangered by a high mortality rate (8.15% after three years) and high levels of infestation by Loranthaceae (83.68%). Conclusions. We recommend the establishment of an ex situ collection of shea trees managed by a research organization to preserve this important genetic heritage. To maximize the genetic diversity of the future ex situ collection, we suggest establishing a core collection based on molecular diversity characterized from molecular markers, such as single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP).

Quinoa – A Functional Food Crop: Morphological Descriptors

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), one of the oldest cultivated plants of Andes, has gained worldwide attention for its ability to grow in various stressful conditions and also due to its various health-promoting characteristics i.e., easily digestibility with high amounts of protein, vitamin B, omega-3 fatty acids, and others. To study (in detail) on morphological descriptors of four quinoa genotypes, an experiment was conducted at the Field and Laboratory of Plant Systematics, Department of Crop Botany, Bangladesh Agricultural University during Rabi season (November 2020 to March 2021) following a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. A spacing of 25 cm x 10 cm was used. Weeding and irrigation operations were done twice at 20 and 40 days after sowing. Quinoa plants are characterized by the angular stem, red-green, leaf rhomboidal, green, panicle shape intermediate showing both shapes – glomerulate and amarantiform, panicle green at the flowering and became pink at the physiological maturity stages. Plant height and stem diameter were ranged between 60.17-65.65 cm and 4.22-4.58 mm, respectively. The percentage of red and red-green coloured stem, number of teeth leaf–1 and leaf area were significantly influenced by genotypes and ranged between 20.00-46.58%, 53.31-80.00%, 5.60-9.10 and 4.84-6.01 cm2, respectively. Pollen grains are monads, medium in size, 42.99-51.30 µm, polypantoporate, scabrate (microechinate), and exine thickness 2.08-2.40 µm. Panicle length and width, 1000-seed weight and seed yield varied between 31.16-37.23 cm, 3.66-4.37 cm, 3.14-3.43 g and 2.66-3.86 g plant–1, respectively. Among the genotypes, G2 was most productive in the environmental conditions of Mymensingh region. Qualitative morphological traits can be used as markers in the description and characterization of quinoa genotypes. The variation existing among the quinoa genotypes could prove useful in the breeding programs.

Phenotypic diversity of rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus Schleid.) accessions for qualitative characters

Rosemary is one of the industrially significant crops traded over the world. Its cultivation in many countries depends on locally adapted populations rather than on the use of improved varieties. Collection and characterization of the local populations could contribute to their conservation and selection of desirable traits. Therefore, this study was undertaken to estimate the diversity of 45 rosemary accessions collected from different parts of Ethiopia using qualitative morphological traits. The frequency distribution of characters reflected the polymorphism of the studied characters, and a total of 39 phenotypic classes were observed. Shannon-weaver diversity indices estimated across accessions ranged from 0.43 to 0.99 with a mean value of 0.79, demonstrating the existence of adequate phenotypic diversity among the accessions. Estimates of diversity indices within and among growing regions revealed that intra-region diversity (0.57) exceeds inter-region diversity (0.43). Cluster analysis classified the accessions into six major clusters regardless of the accessions' geographical origin. This was consistent with the estimated within and among growing regions diversity indices. The results clearly showed the presence of considerable levels of phenotypic diversity that could be exploited as a source of a valuable gene pool for future breeding programs.

Phenotypic differences among and within extant populations of Chrysanthemum arcticum L. and C. a. subsp. arcticum

BackgroundChrysanthemum arcticum, arctic daisy and its two subspecies (Chrysanthemum arcticum subsp. arcticum, Chrysanthemum arcticum subsp. polaré) are the only chrysanthemum species native to North America. A study on species’ variation in morphological and diagnostic traits is important to link morphological traits with previously described single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, particularly when the genomes are sequenced. The purpose of this study was to establish phenotypic differences and soil conditions among wild C. arcticum and C. a. subsp. arcticum populations, when grown in a uniform environment for two years, for potential linkages with our SNP library. Sixteen quantitative morphological traits and five qualitative morphological traits were investigated for 255 individuals from nine C. arcticum populations and 326 individuals from 21 C. a. subsp. arcticum populations.ResultsIn long-day controlled environment, C. arcticum flowering rate was 0% in Year 1, increased to 2.7% in Year 2, while C. a. subsp. arcticum flowering rate was 98.5% in Year 2. Two distinct clusters, distributed by taxonomic classification, were detected by Principal component analysis (PCoA) for 551 individuals from C. arcticum and C. a. subsp. arcticum. Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis indicated a positive and significant correlation between plant height, flower fresh and dry weights. Flower fresh weights were correlated with Δflower weight, while inflorescence length had showed a negative correlation with leaf number. Soil samples had high Na levels along with heavy metals. Thus, the species are salt-tolerant.ConclusionA high level of salt tolerance (Na) is tolerated by these maritime species which is a unique trait in Chrysanthemum. A new diagnostic trait of inflorescence length was discovered to distinguish among C. arcticum and C. a. subsp. arcticum. Significant flowering differences occurred among the species C. arcticum and C. a. subsp. arcticum under same photoperiodic environment, including flowering rates and visible bud date. This study on the species’ variation in morphological and diagnostic traits is of importance to link morphological traits with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers.

Inter simple sequence repeats and morphological traits to identify cultivated cotton varieties (Gossypium barbadense L.) in Egypt

Egyptian cultivated Cotton significantly impacted Egypt's economy, as it is well-known worldwide. This study aims to determine how much genetic and phenotypic variation exists in five different varieties of Egyptian Cotton using Inter Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR) as a molecular marker and twenty-one quantitative and qualitative morphological traits as a taxonomic source in the development and evolution of this plant. Eleven ISSR primers were used, producing a total of 134 bands with a polymorphism percentage of 67%. Positive and negative significant Pearson correlations were found among the studied morphological traits in line with the phenotypic correlations in some characteristics. The genotypic correlation coefficient was higher in magnitude than that of phenotypic correlation. The five varieties were grouped into two major clusters using the UPGMA method based on morphological and ISSR analysis. The first one included G86 and G89 varieties, while the second cluster included G80 and G95; the G90 was separated from the other four varieties. This genetic relationship may be attributed to their similar ancestors. The information from this study should help with cotton breeding efforts to attain a high level of germplasm diversity and develop new high-yielding types to enhance cotton production and quality.

Genetic Relationships and Diversity of Common Buckwheat Accessions in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.) has a long history of cultivation in the large, mountainous regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). Its commercial production is mainly based on the regionally bred variety ‘Darja’, but numerous landraces are also being grown on a smaller scale. As part of the SEEDNet (Southeast European Network on Plant Genetic Resources) project, these landraces have been collected and stored at the Gene bank of the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences in Sarajevo (FAFS). To assess their utilization value, it was first important to investigate if they represent distinct landraces and to identify their genetic relationships with the most commonly grown varieties in the region (‘Darja’, ‘Goluba’ and ‘Čebelica’). Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the genetic relationships and diversity of the common buckwheat accessions maintained at the FAFS Gene bank, as well as the value of these accessions for future breeding programs, using microsatellite markers and seventeen quantitative and fifteen qualitative morphological traits. The FCA (Factorial Correspondence Analysis) and AMOVA (Analysis of Molecular Variance) revealed that several accessions represent completely distinct landraces which clearly differentiated from the most commonly grown cultivars ‘Darja’ and ‘Goluba’. Conducted morphological analyses revealed that several of the analyzed landraces hold similar characteristics to the ones observed in ‘Darja’ and ‘Goluba’, while others possess unique traits potentially useful in breeding programs.

Qualitative Morphological Characterization of Male Indonesian Local Sheep Breeds on Java Island, Indonesia

Background: Sheep is one of the small ruminant types widely distributed and popular in Indonesia, especially on Java Island. This study aimed to characterize male Indonesian local sheep breeds on Java Island based on their qualitative morphological traits. Methods: This study identified twenty-nine qualitative morphological characteristics in 627 head sheep consisting of Priangan, Garut, Batur, Wonosobo, Javanese Thin Tailed (JTT), Javanese Fat-Tailed (JFT) and Sapudi sheep. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, Chi-square analysis (X2), multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA). Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25 and NTSYS-pc version 2.11. Result: All the qualitative morphological traits variables were significantly different (P less than 0.01) between the seven sheep breeds. Seven sheep breeds could be categorized into three groups: 1) JFT and Sapudi sheep; 2) JTT, Priangan and Garut sheep; and 3) Batur and Wonosobo sheep. The Garut and Batur sheep have the most distant relationship (26.781). The JFT and Sapudi sheep have the closest relationship (1.345), as well as between Batur and Wonosobo sheep (10.064) and between Priangan and JTT sheep (2.453). Garut sheep have the most distant relationship with other sheep breeds, except with Priangan (4.259) and JTT (8.157) sheep. It was concluded that male Indonesian local sheep breeds on Java Island could be characterized using qualitative morphological traits.

Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana G. Gaertn., B. Mey. & Scherb.) cultivated in Trentino-Alto Adige (northern Italy) characterized by biometric traits and glucosinolate content

AbstractHorseradish is a crop grown for its edible underground parts. The development of new cultivars is hindered by the species' predominant vegetative reproduction, making it essential to evaluate locally cultivated accessions to identify new types suitable for cultivation. To this end, 11 horseradish accessions from family vegetable gardens in Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy were examined using 26 qualitative and six quantitative morphological descriptors and characterized by the five major glucosinolates (GSLs) present in the rhizome compared to a reference cultivar. A wide range of variability was observed for the considered qualitative morphological traits. The rhizome's top and basal diameters were 9.9 and 6.2 cm, respectively, with an average fresh weight of 521 g. Total GSL content ranged between 79.5 and 133.5 μmol/g dry weight (DW), with sinigrin (SIN) being the primary component at an average content of 110.0 μmol/g DW. Differences among the investigated accessions were noted for quantitative traits describing their productive features and for GSL content. A positive correlation was discovered between the biometric traits of the plant's underground parts and the SIN and total GSL content, suggesting a link between the quality and yield of the edible product. According to the multivariate analysis, accessions were grouped into three main clusters: the largest of the reference cultivar and the majority of accessions with similar productive and qualitative traits; another featuring two with good qualitative and productive characteristics. The investigated accessions proved to be a valuable germplasm source for cultivating the species.

MALE FLOWER CHARACTERISTICS OF INDUCED TETRAPLOID, MIXOPLOID, AND DIPLOID BANANA MUSA ACUMINATA (AA) CV. “PISANG REJANG”

The banana cultivar “Pisang Rejang” (Musa AA “Pisang Rejang”) is Fusarium wilt resistant and therefore important for banana breeding. Tetraploid (4x) and mixoploid (2x+4x) plants of this cultivar have been induced with oryzalin, and crosses of these two ploidy levels resulted in a triploid hybrid (3x) plant. The availability of these various ploidy levels needs to be accompanied by data on their reproductive biology for their efficient utilization for breeding. This study characterized male flowers concerning qualitative and quantitative morphology, pollen viability, pollen size, nectar volume, nectar Brix index, and acidity level of those different ploidy levels. Observations indicated no differences in qualitative morphological traits, such as, shape and color, but for quantitative morphological traits, such as, size, distinction existed among the different ploidy levels. The triploid plant has huge flower parts in all the quantitative morphological traits, except compound tepal width, followed by the tetraploid, diploid, and mixoploid. Variations also occurred in pollen viability, pollen size, and nectar characters from each level of ploidy. Pollen viability is the highest for the diploid plant, while the tetraploid plant produces bigger pollen than the diploid. The triploid plant produced a low percentage of viable pollen. The study findings indicate that ploidy level affects the flower's quantitative morphological characteristics, pollen viability, and pollen size, but not the flower's qualitative morphological characteristics.

GENETIC ANALYSIS OF QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE TRAITS AMONG PROGENIES OF ENSET CLONES ORIGINATED FROM SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

<p>The present cultivated enset (<em>Ensete ventricosum</em>) clonal landraces in Ethiopia originated from few wild progenitors. However, enset has a mixed mode of reproduction in which, the wild enset reproduces sexually through seeds, while cultivated enset is generally propagated vegetatively. The objectives of this study were to determine the genetic structure of enset cultivars through genetic analysis of qualitative morphological traits and estimate their genetic variability by evaluating the quantitative agronomic traits data generated from progenies of cultivated and wild enset genotypes. Hence, seeds collected from six cultivated and four wild enset genotypes were used for this study. Data on four qualitative and six quantitative morphological traits were recorded from the progenies of the 10 enset genotypes. Progenies of seven enset genotypes segregated in a 3:1 segregation ratio while progenies of the remaining genotypes segregated differently for the qualitative traits considered. With regard to the quantitative traits, the progenies of the 10 enset genotypes differed significantly for five of the six traits except pseudostem length. The cultivated clones, in general performed better than that of the wild types. Moderate heritability (h2b) estimates and high genetic advances were obtained for leaf length (0.38, 62.0%), pseudostem circumference (0.35, 78.5%), and plant height (0.30, 19.1%) indicating selection for these traits indirectly improves economic yield of enset clones. This study demonstrated the possibility of creating genetic variation through selfing the existing enset genotypes for traits of interest and making improvements either through selection or crossing the elite types to develop novel enset cultivars.</p>

A new species of Myotis (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) from Uruguay

Abstract The genus Myotis comprises a diverse group of vesper bats with worldwide distribution. Twenty-eight neotropical species are currently recognized. Based on a morphological approach, we describe a new species of Myotis from the Uruguayan Pampas grasslands, an ecoregion under high anthropogenic pressure with a largely unknown bat fauna. Qualitative and quantitative morphological analyses support the recognition of the new species and we present a set of external and cranial diagnostic characters by comparing them with other neotropical Myotis species. The new species reassembles Myotis riparius, but can be distinguished by a set of qualitative and quantitative morphological traits, including its clearly bicolored dorsal fur, tricolored ventral fur, a pelage on the dorsal surface of uropatagium, sagittal crest lower, braincase lower in lateral view and overall smaller size.

Анализ изменчивости морфологических признаков сортов камелии японской (Camellia japonica L.) в условиях защищенного грунта г. Москвы

In the present work, the analysis of the variability of quantitative and qualitative morphological traits of Japanese Camellia (Camellia japonica L.) varieties used in greenhouses of botanical institutions in Moscow is considered. The paper considers the following varieties: ‘Governor Mouton’, ‘Madame Lebois’, ‘Covina’, ‘Bella Toscana’, ‘Bonomiana’, ‘Alba Simplex’, ‘Lavinia Maggi’, ‘ Silver Waves ’,‘ Doncklaeri ’. To assess the variability, 10 characters were selected, six of which describe the leaf (leaf blade length, leaf blade width, leaf ovality index, leaf blade base shape, leaf blade apex shape, leaf blade shape) and four – flowers (corolla color, flower diameter, degree of terry and aroma). The variability of quantitative characteristics was assessed by determining the confidence intervals method and calculating the coefficients of variation. The variability of qualitative features was assessed by establishing modalities and determining modes. It is noted that, in terms of quantitative and qualitative characteristics, weak variability is observed in most cases. Thus, the studied varieties of Japanese camellia have stable features that characterize the flower and leaf blade. Keywords: CAMELLIA JAPONICA, JAPANESE CAMELLIA, VARIABILITY, VARIETIES

Cryptic diversity in the mayfly Leptohyphodes inanis (Pictet) (Ephemeroptera: Leptohyphidae) across water basins in Southeastern Brazil

Leptohyphodes inanis (Pictet) is an enigmatic species with a rare trait among leptohyphid males – large and divided compound eyes. In addition, the color of its upper portion is variable across – but not within – populations. However, the geographic variation of this trait and its relation to gene flow across populations remain unknown. Here, we analyzed individuals across Southeastern Brazil (19º to 24ºS and 40º to 48º W) to (i) assess genetic (COI) and eye color variation, and (ii) evaluate if L. inanis is a single species, by combining Bayesian phylogenetic analyses (including two other leptohyphid genera – Tricorythopsis and Tricorythodes) and species delimitation methods: ABGD and mPTP. To further investigate within-species variation in phenotypic traits, we evaluated quantitative and qualitative morphological traits of 1,252 individuals. We found that genetic variation in L. inanis is largely unrelated to eye color, and that pairwise genetic divergences in COI mtDNA are remarkably higher (up to 30.7%) than previously found in other mayfly lineages. L. inanis was recovered as monophyletic, although results suggest it includes three to seven cryptic species, each one related to mountain ranges across Southeastern Brazil. Furthermore, we found no genetic variation among individuals of the same drainage basin, suggesting that populations might be largely isolated from one another. Because morphological traits traditionally used in Ephemeroptera taxonomy were ineffective in distinguishing the cryptic species, we propose L. inanis to be a species complex.

Evaluating morphological diversity among Plantago major L. populations and influence of ecological variables

Invasive plant species are a major threat to biodiversity worldwide. Thus, information on their distribution, morphological variation as well as their reaction to ecological parameters are required to adequately evaluate their threat and manage invasions. Plantago major is a cosmopolitan invasive plant species and a possible threat to the local flora in dry grasslands. A multivariate analysis of data acquired from 19 populations of this species across various locations in Iran was used to evaluate the diversity of quantitative and qualitative morphological traits possibly affected by ecological factors to understand its distribution pattern. Morphological traits were variable and depended on the location of observation. Quantitative traits in particular exhibited a higher variation than qualitative traits between populations, with higher diversity in populations from the Central Alborz and Khorasan. Further, populations with higher vegetative growth had relatively lower reproductive fitness, i.e. a trade-off between the number of seeds per individual and vegetative traits. Cluster analysis based on either morphological data or ecological variables were capable to group the populations close to their geographical origins, despite correlation coefficients of ecological variables with morphological traits being mainly non-significant. Our results provide important insights into the variability of P. major and potentially allow inferences on distribution limits in Iran.