A systematic study on Prunus microcarpa C.A.Mey. (Rosaceae) populations in Turkey based on leaf morphometry

Many Prunus taxa –including the infraspecific taxa of Prunus microcarpa C.A.Mey.— are differentiated according to leaf structure. However, it is known that this widely distributed and economically important genus exhibits leaf dimorphism between its short and long shoots. The species P. microcarpa especially has been observed to show differences between leaves on different shoots within the same individual. Despite this, the two taxa (P. microcarpa subsp. microcarpa and P. microcarpa subsp. tortuosa (Boiss. & Hausskn.) Browicz) representing this species in Turkey are classed according to leaf characteristics, including shape and indumentum. Advanced morphometric and multivariate statistical methods may be applied in order to solve systematic problems involving such closely related taxa that exhibit overlapping characters. While there are programs available for this type of advanced morphological analysis, they have until now found limited systematic use. In this study, leaf morphology and venation characteristics found to have taxonomic value were investigated among the different leaf types and populations of each subspecies in Turkey to determine their morphometric differences. The program PhenoVein was used for venation analysis, and the program MASS was used to generate both elliptic Fourier analysis and traditional morphometric data. No significant difference was detected between the two subspecies; however, significant differences in shape were found between the different leaf types. Altitude was also found to have an effect on some characteristics of shape and venation.