The Mathematical Analysis and Classification Research of an Iris Data Set Using Binary Tree and Grey Relation Grade

The data from an Iris flower database is studied. The Iris database is the most commonly used database for machine learning algorithms. The Iris database was developed by Ronald Aylmer Fisher in 1936. The Iris database has 150 records in three categories: Iris Sentosa, Iris Versicolor and Iris Virginic. The database has four attributes: sepal length, sepal width, petal length and petal width. For the machine learning algorithm, 150 Iris flower databases are used. Of the 150 Iris in the Iris database, 80% are used as the training set and the remaining 20% Iris as the test set. In machine learning, to perform classification and discrimination is a complicated and difficult thing. In this study, a grey relation grade is used to extract the main features of the Iris flower and a Binary Tree [1] is used to classify the Irises. The results show that for the same specific attributes, grey relation grade extracts the main attributes and can be used in combination with a binary for classification.

Alternanthera indica (Amaranthaceae), a new species from Kerala (India)

A new species of Alternanthera from Kerala (SW-India), named Alternanthera indica, is described and illustrated. A detailed description, photographs, and drawings are provided. The new species resembles A. carcasana, A. paronychioides var. robusta, A. pungens, A. sessilis, and A. tenella for sharing habit and sessile synflorescences, but it differs from these species in several characters (i.e. shape and size of leaves, sepal length and hairiness, and appendages on the androecial tube margin and length).

Variation in hip and sepal parameters of invasive Rosa rugosa between sites and years

Rosa rugosa is among the most invasive species in Europe, and it is considered a severe threat to the diversity and stability of coastal habitats. In Lithuania, it is a widespread invasive species occurring in coastal and inland areas. This research aimed to estimate the variation in R. rugosa hip and sepal parameters within and among sites from coastal and inland areas, and investigate the effects of environmental factors on the hip and sepal sizes. Field studies were performed at four coastal and three inland sites in 2008, and the studies were repeated in 2016. We collected 100 mature hips at each site and measured the hip width, hip length and sepal length. We analysed variation in hip and sepal parameters between the study years, and the effect of meteorological factors and agrochemical properties of the soil on hip and sepal sizes. This study revealed significant variation in R. rugosa hip width, hip length and sepal length among the studied sites. The largest hips and sepals were found in the coastal habitat at the Smeltė site, whereas the smallest hips and sepals were recorded in inland habitat at the Staviškės site, where R. rugosa occurred in woodland. The comparison of hip and sepal sizes at the same sites during two study years revealed irregular variation. Mean hip width and mean length of sepals in 2008 were significantly more prominent than in 2016, whereas no significant differences in hip length were found between the study years. The content of phosphorus in the soil negatively correlated, whereas the content of carbonates positively correlated with the sepal length. A strong negative relationship was found between the sunshine duration and hip length and width ratio. However, the revealed relationships of the hip and sepal parameters with the environmental factors could be a coincidence or a result of the cumulative effect of the multiple factors’ interaction and should be investigated separately.

HAWTHORN (CRATAEGUS L.) TAXA AND THEIR HYBRIDS IN NORTH-WESTERN ROMANIA: A RECOMMENDATION FOR NATIONAL IDENTIFICATION KEYS BASED ON MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSES

Crataegus species are common and widespread shrubs or small trees across Europe, and are of considerable ecological and agricultural importance. However, controversy still surrounds the taxonomy and ecology of this genus, mainly due to frequent hybridization between sympatric species and introgression of genes. Considering the poor representation of Crataegus-related research in the Romanian botanical literature, we investigated the occurrence and morphology of native Crataegus species and their putative hybrids in north-western Romania. We collected herbarium specimens from three regions (Zărandului Mountains, Transylvanian Plain, Călata region), from a variety of habitats, including forests, grasslands and forest-grassland ecotones. Morphometric measurements were taken on a total of 34 fruit-, leaf- and stipule characters on generative shoots. We used PCA and Random Forest analysis to select for the ‘best’ characters differentiating between species and hybrids. We identified ten different Crataegus taxa, including species, subspecies, varieties and their hybrid nothotaxa: Crataegus monogyna (mainly in grasslands), C. rhipidophylla var. rhipidophylla, C. rhipidophylla var. lindmannii and C. laevigata subsp. laevigata, C. laevigata subsp. palmstruchii (mainly in forests), C. × kyrtostyla nothovar. domicensis, C. × media, C. × macrocarpa nothovar. macrocarpa and C. × macrocarpa nothovar. hadensis (mainly in forest openings and near forest edges). The most common taxa identified was C. × kyrtostyla nothovar. kyrtostyla (common in grasslands, rarer in forests). The best differentiating characters between species and hybrids were number of styles, fruit length, number of teeth on stipules, position of sepals on mature fruits, number of serrations on basal leaf lobe, ratio between serrate part of lower leaf lobe and the entire part, depth of basal sinus, and ratio between sepal length and width. Based on the results of the morphometric analysis and literature review, we constructed national identification keys of all Crataegus taxa identified in this study and other confirmed taxa present in Romania. Additionally, we have illustrated the most common six identified taxa (including hybrids).

Comparative floral and pollen morphology of some invasive and native impatiens species

To evaluate the hypothesis of competitive superiority of invasive species, we compared the invasive Impatiens parviflora DC. and I. Glandulifera royle, the naturalized I. Nevskii pobed. and the native I. Noli-tangere L. in the flowers’ morphometric characters at different phases of anthesis. The characters in which alien species have a competitive superiority over closely related I. Noli-tangere are revealed. Morphological variability was studied by morphometric observations of the following characters: bud: length and diameter; spurred sepal: length and width; spur: length and diameter; lateral sepal: length and width; largest petal: length and death; large lobe of lateral petal: length and width; small lobe of lateral petal: length and width; anther: length; stamen’s filament: length; calyptra: length and width; ovary: length and diameter; length of a style, length of a stigma. There is a tendency for alien Impatiens species of the earlier development of androecium and gynoecium: сaliptra is formed at the stage of uncolored bud, the pistil is differentiated in ovary, short style and stigma is formed at the stage of colored bud. No other flowers’ morphometric characters, representing competitive advantage of the invasive I. Glandulifera and I. Parviflora over the native I. Noli-tangere and naturalized I. Nevskii were identified.

Anatomical Structure of Sepal and Petal of Red Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus Britton & Rose) During Flower Development

Red dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus Britton & Rose) is one type of cactus plant which is very potential as an ornamental plant and edible fruit. Flower is organ that play an important role in the process of breeding plants generatively. This reasearch aimed to study the anatomical structure of sepals and petals of red dragon fruit plants during flower development. The research stages included: sepals and petals sampling that held at various stages of flowering ; morphological observation (measurement length of sepals and petals); anatomical slides of sepals and petals cross section using the embedding method, anatomical observation and image capture of sepals and petals. The parameters observed were bud size, sepal length, petal length, sepal thickness, petal thickness, and tissue description composed. The results of this study indicated that buds have an increased development pattern. The increase in bud size is directly proportional to the stage of the bud. Sepal and petal are composed of epidermal tissue which form papillae, cryptophore stomata, secretory parenchyma space containing mucus, and tissues transport system is closed collateral.

Living on the rocks: a new species of Stenanona (Annonaceae) from karst limestone forests of southern Mexico

Based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence, a new species of Stenanona endemic to the karst limestone forests from southern Mexico is described and illustrated. The new species is placed in the Desmopsis-Stenanona clade and appears to be closely related to Stenanona migueliana and S. stenopetala, from which it differs in flower colour, petal margins, petal venation, sepal length and ovule arrangement. Phylogenetic relationships, evolution and conservation status of the new species are discussed.

Identification and characterization of pitted morningglory (Ipomoea lacunose) ecotypes

Pitted morningglory is an adaptable species with an indigenous range encompassing the southern Midwest and southeast United States. In 2000 through 2002, 64 pitted morningglory accessions from 11 states were grown in Fayetteville, AR, to compare their morphology in a common environment to document potential morphological variation and to determine whether variation proves the existence of pitted morningglory morphological ecotypes. Accessions were evaluated for leaf size and vine length 8 wk after emergence (WAE), date of flower initiation, flower color, leaf pubescence 12 WAE, capsule and sepal pubescence, sepal length and width, plant weight, and seed number at physiological maturity. Morphological variables were standardized and analyzed with cluster analysis to differentiate the morphological variation among accessions. Documented variation was best described by eight clusters. Four clusters distinguished themselves morphologically. Accessions within these distinct clusters were originally from Arkansas, Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri and were documented with leaf size, vine length, and day of flower initiation generally increasing with decreasing latitude. The other four clusters were nondistinct because most variables differed very little, but characteristics such as capsule pubescence separated these clusters. Accessions within these nondistinct clusters originated from Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Leaf shapes of arrow, heart, an arrow and heart mixture, and heart with pointed projections and white or purple flower colors were documented. Documented differences indicate the existence of pitted morningglory morphological ecotypes.

Comparative floral morphometrics of distyly and homostyly in three evolutionary lineages of Amsinckia (Boraginaceae)

Using three ancestor-descendant lineages of Amsinckia (Boraginaceae), we studied changes in floral morphology associated with evolution of the breeding system. Each lineage comprised a distylous ancestor and a homostylous descendant: (i) Amsinckia furcata Suksd. – Amsinckia vernicosa Hook. & Arn.; (ii) Amsinckia douglasiana A. DC. – Amsinckia tessellata var. gloriosa (Suksd.) Hoover; and (iii) Amsinckia spectabilis Fischer & C. Meyer. Comparisons of 26 floral traits were made between pins and thrums within the distylous groups, between distyly (pins and thrums combined) and homostyly as well as among pins, thrums, and homostyles. Differences among the morphs were also compared across the three lineages. In distylous flowers, the six traits directly related to stamen height or pistil height varied as expected from their close relationship to the definition of pins and thrums, with the stamen-height-related characters greater in thrums and the pistil-height-related characters greater in pins. Thrums had larger pollen grains in all lineages. Pollen production was either similar in the two distylous morphs or lower in thrums than in pins, depending on species. Thrums also tended to have larger style cross-sectional area and style transmission tissue cross-sectional area. In two of three lineages, thrums had longer corollas, whereas pins exceeded thrums in functional anther–stigma separation and in stigmatic papilla size. The size order of a trait in pins versus thrums was consistent in all lineages for 18 of 26 traits; in seven of the eight remaining traits, A. spectabilis was the unusual lineage. Sepal length, corolla width, and stigma size did not differ significantly between the two distylous morphs. In homostyles, traits related to anther height and pistil height were intermediate between pins and thrums in all lineages; for other traits, including anther–stigma separation and overall size, homostyles generally had the smallest values. For most traits, lineages differed in the degree of differentiation among the three morphs as well as between distyly and homostyly. Thus, in Amsinckia, the evolution of homostyly involves a general reduction in flower size, but by an amount that varies both among traits and among lineages.Key words: Amsinckia, dimorphism, distyly, floral evolution, homostyly, mating system.

Sepal and nut size ratio of fruits of Asian Dipterocarpaceae and its implications for dispersal

ABSTRACTThe relationship between sepal and nut size of fruits was studied in fruit of 394 species of Dipterocarpaceae in Malesia and Sri Lanka. The fruits of many dipterocarps have long twisted sepals which have a role as blades for dispersal by gyration. But long sepals decrease resource allocation to other parts, and increase the chance of fruit being trapped in the canopy. The frequency distribution of the ratio of sepal length to nut length was bimodal. The gyrationdispersed group with longer sepals comprised 74% of Dipterocarpaceae studied. The group with short sepal mainly comprised understorey trees, but there were a few emergents. In both groups, sepal areas were expressed as a power function of nut volumes'. Because fruit weight per sepal area increases with fruit size, larger fruits fall more quickly than smaller fruits, and sepals of the former can not serve so effectively as propeller blades. This is consistent with the fact that a few emergent trees with large nuts have short sepals and are not dispersed by gyration. Therefore, the re-evolution of short fruit sepals appears to have been mainly due to two reasons: reduction of tree height and enlargement of nut size.