A Taxonomic Study of Blepharis Edulis (Forssk.) Pers. Complex (Acanthaceae)
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Date
2000-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The species Blepharis edldis (Forssk.) Pel's. has for long been mistaken with B.
linaria~folia Pers. and B. ciliaris (L) B. L. Burt or B. boranensis Vol/esen (ined.) and
most of the collections identified indiscriminately. While revising the genus, attempt
by Vol/esen to separate the species, though with considerable observed
morphological variation o.fspecimens, wasfitlile and recommended an in./i"aspecific
study based on morphology. This study, ther~fore, employs phenetic techniques on
gross morphology, both mature and seedlings characters in conjunction with
palynological evidence to disentangle B. edulis complex and related taxa. Cluster
analysis segregatedfour groups, which were filrther verified by Principal Component
Analysis, Discriminant Analysis and Non-Parametric Analysis. Importantly,
vegetative and .floral characters discontinuously or pal"fially separated the accrued
cluster groups. These results were fitrther supported by palynology. Subsequently,
these taxa were described as B. boranensis Vol/esen (ined.), B. edulis val'. edulis
Pers., B. edulis val'. glabra Malombe val'. nov. and B. edulis val'. isabellae Malombe
val'. nov. The species B. boranensis, a part./i"om clear separation in the ordination
space, it is mOJphological/y discrete from all the other affiliated groups. B. edulis
val'. edulis is distinguished discontinuously from B. edlliis val'. isabel/ae and partially
from B. edulis val'. glabra byfeatures of cotyledon colour, number and arrangement
o.fleafmarginal spines. More so, the three varieties lack a wide geographical
variation.
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Biology