TAXONOMIC CIRCUMSCRIPTION AND RELATIONSHIP IN RHAMNUS L. AND ATADINUS RAF. (RHAMNACEAE) SPECIES IN IRAN BASED ON MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS

The genera Rhamnus and Atadinus have been dealt as a sigle genus, namely Rhamnus or two distinct genera. The genus Atadinus, includesunarmed (not spiny) species with 6 or more pairs of lateral veins on leaves. Moreover, relationship of the species and subspecific taxa needed further studies. In order to delimit and elucidate the taxonomic relationships of Rhamnus L. and Atadinus Raf. taxa (Rhamnaceae) in Iran, morphometric data analyses were performed. Studies were based on 30 morphological characters (8 quantitative and 22 qualitative) potentially belonging to two genera, 14 taxa, 52 populations and 749 individuals. Data analyses were performed using SPSS, Past and Excel softwares. ClusteringandOrdination Analyses illustrated similarities and differences among the populations and taxa.The species referred to any of the genera Rhamnus and Atadinus were separated in clustering and ordination. Morphometric studies more or less confirmed former classification of the taxa in Iran. Some of the specimens having characters of 2 or more taxa supposed to be hybrids. Also, some of the collections seemed to be new subspecies.