The nature of the variability of the morphological characteristics of the taxon Jovibarba heuffelii (Schott) A. Löve & D. Löve (Crassulaceae) in Serbia

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to investigate the nature of the variability of the morphological characters of the species Jovibarba heuffelii (Schott) A. Löve & D. Löve in Serbia. Morphometric analyses were performed on 219 individuals from 10 populations. Total of 38 morphometric characters were analyzed (25 metric and 13 ordinal). Statistical data analyses were done for 25 quantitative morphometric characters. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, minimum, maximum and standard error, coefficient of variation) were calculated for each character, together with correlative variability and variation between each character. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to identify significant variation between each character. The results of the analysis showed significant statistical variability of all investigated characters. Variability of the vegetative characters was higher when compared with reproductive characters. Also, the obtained results pointed to the altitude and geological substratum as the most important factors for morphological differentiation of analyzed populations.

Keywords

• Jovibarba heuffelii
• morphological characteristics
• analysis