Taxonomic implications of multivariate analyses of egyptian ononis l. (fabaceae) based on morphological traits

Abstract

Numerical taxonomy is employed to determine the phenetic proximity of the Egyptian taxa belonging to the genus Ononis L. A classical clustering analysis and a principal component analysis (PCA) were used to separate 57 macro- and micromorphological characters in order to circumscribe 11 taxa of Ononis. A clustering analysis using the unweighted pair-group method with the arithmetic means (UPGMA) method gives the highest co-phenetic correlation. Results from clustering and PCA revealed the segregation of five groups. Our results are in line, to some certain degree, with the traditional sub-sectional concept, as can be seen in the grouping of the representative members of the subsections Diffusae and Mittisimae together and the representative members of the subsections Viscosae and Natrix. The phenetic uniqueness of Ononis variegata and O. reclinata subsp. mollis was formally established. However, our findings contradict the classic sectional concept; this opinion was suggested earlier in previous phylogenetic circumscriptions of the genus. The most useful characters that provide taxonomic clarity were discussed.