Morphometrics of <i>Daucus</i> (Apiaceae): A counterpart to a phylogenomic study

Abstract

Phenetic analyses, in combination with molecular data, support many Daucus species, but mostly by overlapping ranges of size and meristic variation. The subspecies of D. carota are poorly separated morphologically, are paraphyletic, and all could be recognized at the subspecies rank under D. carota. Daucus sahariensis and D. syrticus are so similar morphologically that they could be placed in synonymy. Combined molecular and morphological data support three species in accessions previously identified as D. broteri and D. guttatus. Molecular and morphological results support the new combination Daucus carota subsp. capillifolius.