A Numerical Taxonomic Study of the Genus Cyclobalanopsis Oersted from China

Based on 70 characters concerning aspects of leaf,petiole length,hairs,lateral veins and acorn of cupule from 1000 specimens of 77 taxa within the genus Cyclobalanopsis Oersted from China,a numerical taxonomy is presented by using the cluster analysis,principal components analysis (PCA) and factor analysis.14 of 70 characters were screened by means of PCA and used for cluster analysis.The results showed that the genus could be divided into two sections and five subsections.The factor analysis indicated that the leaf shape,teeth ring and hairy cupule etc.were of significance for Cyclobalanopsis classification.According to the results of numerical taxonomy,the entity of some doubtful taxa such as C.glauca(Thunb.) Oerst.,C.lungmaiensis Hu,C.glaucoides Schott,C.fulviseriaca Y.C.Hsu et D.M.Wang,C.pseudoglauca Y.K.Li et X.M.Wang was re-examined,and the relationships of the two sections,and those of five subsections were discussed.The taxonomic reliability based only on the morphometric characters as well as the numerical methods were also reviewed.