RECONCILING DIFFERENCES AMONG MORPHOLOGICAL, CHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR DATA IN THE TAXONOMY OF JUNIPERUS

Several cases involving apparent discordance in morphological, chemical (terpenoids) and molecular data are discussed that relate to species of Juniperus (Cupressaceae). These examples include J. blancoi, J. mucronata and J. scopulorum; J. convallium var. convallium and J. c. var. microsperma; J. excelsa and J. procera; J. pingii var. pingii and J. p. var. carinata; J. recurva var. recurva and J. r. var. coxii; and J. squamata var. squamata and J. s. var. morrisonicola. In these cases, the morphological characters of several putative Juniperus species are essentially identical, yet terpenoids and/or molecular data separate some taxa previously merged.
In order to reconcile these discordant data sets, a multidimensional perspective must be taken to evaluate the sum of these gene differences and then integrate these gene differences into the taxonomy.
A three-dimensional model is presented to attempt to explain these perspectives.

IV International Conifer Conference

R.P. Adams

DNA, genome, leaf terpenoids, RAPDs

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2003.615.6