Quantitative morphometrics suggest that the widespread Neotropical Humiria balsamifera (Aubl.) St. Hil. is a species complex
ABSTRACT Humiria balsamifera is an infraspecific complex of high phenotypic variation and widely distributed in northern South America. Leaf traits are traditionally considered the most relevant taxonomic characters for varietal level delimitation in the group. However, substantial phenotypic overla...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Sociedade Botânica do Brasil
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Acta Botânica Brasílica |
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| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-33062021000800339&tlng=en |
| _version_ | 1798019397211652096 |
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| author | Ana Sofia Sousa de Holanda Alberto Vicentini Jerome Chave Fernanda Antunes Carvalho Charles E. Zartman |
| author_facet | Ana Sofia Sousa de Holanda Alberto Vicentini Jerome Chave Fernanda Antunes Carvalho Charles E. Zartman |
| author_sort | Ana Sofia Sousa de Holanda |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Humiria balsamifera is an infraspecific complex of high phenotypic variation and widely distributed in northern South America. Leaf traits are traditionally considered the most relevant taxonomic characters for varietal level delimitation in the group. However, substantial phenotypic overlap among vegetative characters complicates taxonomic diagnoses in this complex. The objective of this study was to quantify and analyze phenotypic variation among individuals of the complex at a continental scale using uni- and multivariable analyses to assess whether morphometric analyses detect discontinuities. Secondarily, these quantitative data were used to test whether phenotypic similarity was related to geographic distance. Twenty- five quantitative and 27 qualitative character traits did not overtly reveal a topology corresponding to traditional varietal classification, nor to geographic structure. However, petiole length alone revealed a definitive separation of H. balsamifera var. guianensis (together with another recognized species Humiria wurdackii, and variety H. balsamifera var. laurina) from the rest of the taxa. Our results highlight substantial morphological overlap among vegetative and reproductive characters including those used in identification keys, and no morphological discontinuities suitable for clearly separating taxa within the complex were encountered demonstrating a future need to integrate multiple sources of information, including molecular data, to resolve this complex. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T16:38:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ec44a47af8a0400fbe11c206ce902721 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1677-941X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T16:38:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | Sociedade Botânica do Brasil |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Botânica Brasílica |
| spelling | doaj.art-ec44a47af8a0400fbe11c206ce9027212022-12-22T04:13:43ZengSociedade Botânica do BrasilActa Botânica Brasílica1677-941X2021-11-0135333935110.1590/0102-33062020abb0368Quantitative morphometrics suggest that the widespread Neotropical Humiria balsamifera (Aubl.) St. Hil. is a species complexAna Sofia Sousa de Holandahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8752-8032Alberto Vicentinihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5906-9358Jerome Chavehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7766-1347Fernanda Antunes Carvalhohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3485-0797Charles E. Zartmanhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8481-9782ABSTRACT Humiria balsamifera is an infraspecific complex of high phenotypic variation and widely distributed in northern South America. Leaf traits are traditionally considered the most relevant taxonomic characters for varietal level delimitation in the group. However, substantial phenotypic overlap among vegetative characters complicates taxonomic diagnoses in this complex. The objective of this study was to quantify and analyze phenotypic variation among individuals of the complex at a continental scale using uni- and multivariable analyses to assess whether morphometric analyses detect discontinuities. Secondarily, these quantitative data were used to test whether phenotypic similarity was related to geographic distance. Twenty- five quantitative and 27 qualitative character traits did not overtly reveal a topology corresponding to traditional varietal classification, nor to geographic structure. However, petiole length alone revealed a definitive separation of H. balsamifera var. guianensis (together with another recognized species Humiria wurdackii, and variety H. balsamifera var. laurina) from the rest of the taxa. Our results highlight substantial morphological overlap among vegetative and reproductive characters including those used in identification keys, and no morphological discontinuities suitable for clearly separating taxa within the complex were encountered demonstrating a future need to integrate multiple sources of information, including molecular data, to resolve this complex.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-33062021000800339&tlng=enAmazonmorphological species conceptphenotypic variationquantitative taxonomyspecies delimitationwhite-sands forest |
| spellingShingle | Ana Sofia Sousa de Holanda Alberto Vicentini Jerome Chave Fernanda Antunes Carvalho Charles E. Zartman Quantitative morphometrics suggest that the widespread Neotropical Humiria balsamifera (Aubl.) St. Hil. is a species complex Acta Botânica Brasílica Amazon morphological species concept phenotypic variation quantitative taxonomy species delimitation white-sands forest |
| title | Quantitative morphometrics suggest that the widespread Neotropical Humiria balsamifera (Aubl.) St. Hil. is a species complex |
| title_full | Quantitative morphometrics suggest that the widespread Neotropical Humiria balsamifera (Aubl.) St. Hil. is a species complex |
| title_fullStr | Quantitative morphometrics suggest that the widespread Neotropical Humiria balsamifera (Aubl.) St. Hil. is a species complex |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantitative morphometrics suggest that the widespread Neotropical Humiria balsamifera (Aubl.) St. Hil. is a species complex |
| title_short | Quantitative morphometrics suggest that the widespread Neotropical Humiria balsamifera (Aubl.) St. Hil. is a species complex |
| title_sort | quantitative morphometrics suggest that the widespread neotropical humiria balsamifera aubl st hil is a species complex |
| topic | Amazon morphological species concept phenotypic variation quantitative taxonomy species delimitation white-sands forest |
| url | http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-33062021000800339&tlng=en |
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