All rights reserved 2025 Differences in inner bract shape in Goniolimon species (Plumbaginaceae) info:eu-repo/semantics/conferenceProceedings application/pdf 678439 bytes Buzurović, Uroš Đurović, Sanja Niketić, Marjan Mira, Milinković Buntić, Aneta Knežević, Magdalena Tomović, Gordana Book of Abstracts: 15th Symposium on the Flora of Southeastern Serbia and Neighboring Regions, Niš, 23th to 25th May 2025 startpage: 35 endpage: 36 https://unilib.phaidrabg.rs/o:7731 cobiss:168629001 ISBN: 978-86-6275-176-8 eng Abstract: Morphological and molecular studies of Goniolimon species in southeastern Europe and the Apennine Peninsula revealed the occurrence of six species: G. besserianum, G. dalmaticum, G. heldreichii, G. incanum, G. sartorii and G. tataricum. In addition to the morphological characteristics used as diagnostic characters to differentiate the species, we wanted to investigate whether the shape of the inner bract can also be used for species delimitation. We analysed 138 individuals from 14 populations in the southeastern Europe. Canonical variates analysis (CVA) resulted in the categorization into five groups. Individuals of G. heldreichii, G. dalmaticum, G. sartorii and G. tataricum formed separate groups, while individuals of G. besserianum and G. incanum were grouped together. The changes in the shape of the inner bract, which contribute most to the differences between the species, are primarily associated with changes in the shape of the middle part (points 3 and 4) and the middle cusps (points 8, 9 and 10) of the inner bract. This study is an example of how geometric morphometrics can effectively address taxonomic problems in plant species, especially in distinguishing closely related species such as those within the genus Goniolimon.