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Issue: Vol. 777 No. 2: 30 Sept. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-09-30
DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.777.2.2
Page range: 112-130
Abstract views: 65
PDF downloaded: 3

Fruit micromorphology and multivariate morphometrics reveal population differentiation in Stenotaenia macrocarpa Freyn & Sint. (Apiaceae) in Türkiye

Department of Biology; Faculty of Science; Kastamonu University; Kastamonu; Türkiye; College of Education; Mindanao State University-Sulu; Capitol Site; Jolo; Sulu; Philippines
Department of Biology; Faculty of Science; Kastamonu University; Kastamonu; Türkiye
Department of Biology; Faculty of Science; Sakarya University; Sakarya; Türkiye
Department of Biology; Faculty of Science; Gazi University; Ankara; Türkiye
Eudicots Apiaceae FAMD morphometry Stenotaenia macrocarpa Türkiye

Abstract

The fruit micromorphological and carpological characteristics are invaluable systematic markers for taxonomic delimitation and phylogenetic inference within the Apiaceae family. This study provides a thorough investigation of morphological differentiation among six Turkish populations of Stenotaenia macrocarpa Freyn and Sint., employing light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Morphometric data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and factor analysis of mixed data (FAMD) across various trait configurations to quantify population-level variation and assess diagnostic stability. The results revealed significant multivariate differentiation, identifying fruit length, surface area, and the total number of dorsal vittae as the most influential quantitative discriminators. Notably, population-specific clines were observed, particularly in the eastern populations of Pülümür and Karlıova, which displayed the largest fruits and the highest oil duct densities, in contrast to the smaller, oblong-fruited Seydişehir. Kastamonu, Hadim, and Yahyalı populations can be classified as an intermediate cluster due to the overlapping quantitative and qualitative characteristics. This clustering indicates a shared set of traits that facilitate comparative analysis among these populations. Optimized FAMD modeling (10-trait configuration) demonstrated that qualitative traits, specifically fruit shape and indumentum structure, served as primary drivers in the differentiation of the secondary axis. This established a reliable diagnostic framework that operates independently of size-related metrics. Population-specific diagnostic combinations of fruit size, vittae number, shape, and indumentum are provided. SEM analysis further revealed two patterns of surface ornamentation (reticulate-striate and reticulate), the presence of anomocytic stomata, and three distinct types of trichomes (prickly, pilose, and scabrid). These findings highlight the strong potential of integrating fruit macromorphological and micromorphological characteristics to refine species boundaries and enhance our understanding of taxonomic relationships within the tribe Tordylieae.

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How to Cite

Sabdani̇ M., Bani̇ B., Sağiroğlu, M. & Duman, H. (2026) Fruit micromorphology and multivariate morphometrics reveal population differentiation in Stenotaenia macrocarpa Freyn & Sint. (Apiaceae) in Türkiye. Phytotaxa 777 (2): 112–130. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.777.2.2