Abstract
Multivariate and univariate analyses based on morphological characters and seed soluble protein electrophoretic profiles were carried out in order to understand the taxonomic status within the complex S. fabrisii-S. trichosepala. Twenty morphological characters from herbarium specimens were recorded and analyzed by ANOVA, principal component and cluster analysis. The seed protein electrophoretic analysis including cluster analysis was based on three populations: one of S. fabrisii and two of S. trichosepala. The results showed that both taxa differed only by three morphological features; in parallel, the CPA and CA demonstrate that no clearly separated group can be recognized. The seed protein electrophoretic profiles show a high degree of similarity. Based on these results, and due to the variability observed, the inclusion of S. fabrisii in the synonymy of S. trichosepala is proposed.