MORPHOLOGIC CHARACTERIZATION OF NANCHE (Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) H. B. K.) LEAVES

Abstract

The objective of this study was to characterize morphological leaf variability of 39 accessions of nanche (Byrsonima crassifolia (L.) H. B. K.) trees from the Sierra of Tabasco, México. Leaves developed during the same season were sampled, 10 most representative leaves selected, and then evaluated by image analysis comparing 17 characters. Three main components explained 77.28 % of total variability. Five groups with similar morphological traits were formed with an euclidian distance of 0.07 in the dendrogram. The characters that best explained the variability were smaller axis length, roundness index, basal angle, fifth vein angle, limb larger/limb smaller axis ratio, smaller axis/petiole length ratio and basal angle/fifth vein angle.