La variabilité morphologique des taxons marocains du genre Ornithogalum sous-genre Heliocharmos : une étude biométrique
Taxa of the subgenus Heliocharmos Baker belonging to the genus Ornithogalum L. (Liliaceae) have been studied in Morocco from a biometric standpoint. It appears, from multidimensional analyses (principal component analysis and discriminant analysis), that it is not possible to recognize the existence of all the taxa reported by former authors. Two groups are morphologically distinct. The first corresponds to O. kochii Parl, and the second to O. algeriense Jord. and Fourr. The latter group includes all individuals that, according to Maire's Flora, can be related to O. comosum L., O. tenuifolium Guss., and O. umbellatum L. ssp. orthophyllum Maire and Weiller. Maire's separation of this group into three species seems artificial and the determination of the taxa seems incorrect. However, the populations of this group form two sets, one littoral and the other inland. These results, which are in agreement with data on karyology and reproduction biology, make it possible to revise this subgenus in Morocco. Three taxa are recognized: O. algeriense Jord. and Fourr. (=O. umbellatum L. ssp. orthophyllum Maire and Weiller) ssp. algeriense Moret ssp. nov., O. algeriense Jord. and Fourr. ssp. atlanticum Moret ssp. nov., and O. kochii Parl. A key to the various taxa and a map showing their distribution in Morocco are submitted. Key words: Ornithogalum, Heliocharmos, Liliaceae, Maroc, biosystematics, biometry. [Journal translation]