Premium
The taxonomy of Fagus in western Eurasia, 1: Fagus sylvatica subsp. orientalis (= F. orientalis )
Author(s) -
Denk Th.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
feddes repertorium
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.24
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 1522-239X
pISSN - 0014-8962
DOI - 10.1002/fedr.19991100305
Subject(s) - fagus sylvatica , beech , subspecies , biology , homogeneous , botany , taxonomy (biology) , population , ecology , geography , physics , thermodynamics , demography , sociology
Investigations of leaf and cupule morphology in Fagus sylvatica subsp. orientalis disclose a high phenotypic diversity. Local and regional population groups are connected by different morphological transitional forms. Transitions do not only occur as an ecocline from west to east but also in a mosaic‐like pattern (Transcaucasia). Therefore, we refrain from establishing subspecies or other taxonomic units but describe morphotypes and outline their ranges. The easternmost Iranian populations prove to be the most homogeneous, probably as the result of their geographic isolation. The strong similarities of Iranian populations to southeastern North American beech types ( Fagus grandifolia subsp. caroliniana ) are discussed.