TITLE A morphometric analysis of the eastern Asian Kalopanax septemlobus (Thunb.) Koidz. (Araliaceae)
AUTHOR Chin-Sung Chang
The Arboretum and Department of Forest Sciences and Products, Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, san 56-1, Sillimdong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151-742, Korea
Hui Kim
Korea National Herbarium (KH), Korea National Arboretum, 51-7 Jikdong-ri, Soheul-eup, Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Ho-Sang Kang
Department of Forest Sciences and Products, Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, san 56-1, Sillimdong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151-742, Korea
Don Koo Lee
Department of Forest Sciences and Products, Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, san 56-1, Sillimdong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 151-742, Korea
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ABSTRACT Kalopanax septemlobus (Thunb.) Koidz., a woody species of Araliaceae, exhibits a broad range of morphological variation and occurs throughout much of eastern Asia. A morphometric analysis of herbarium material supplemented with a large sample of field-collected leaves was undertaken to determine if the morphological differentiation found within Kalopanax septemlobus warranted the taxonomic recognition of distinct taxa. One hundred twenty six individuals representing the total geographic range of the species were scored for 20 morphological characters, and the data matrix was subjected to principal components analysis. The results indicated that Kalopanax septemlobus should be recognized as one polymorphic species. Previously recognized infraspecific taxa were not supported to warrant the designation of any taxonomic rank. The observed pattern of variation may be environmentally induced and suggests that the species may exhibit environmental plasticity.
KEYWORD Araliaceae; Forms; Kalopanax septemlobus; Kalopanax septemlobus subsp. lutchuensis; Morphometrics; Principal components analysis;
ARTICLE INFO Botanical Bulletin of Academia Sinica, Volume 44 Number 4 October 2003, page 337-344, 8 pages
PUBLISHER Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China