Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research

ISSN 2736-1756

Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research Vol. 2004

Available online at http://internationalscholarsjournals.org/journal/ajmr

© 2004 International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A morphometric analysis of the genus Ficus Linn. (moraceae)

Mubo, A. Sonibare1*, Adeniyi, A. Jayeola2 and Adeyemi Egunyomi2

1Department of Biological Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria.

2Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Accepted 21 December 2003

Abstract

Foliar parameters of Ficus in Nigeria were subjected to quantitative analysis. The morphometric analysis is based on ten quantitative parameters of the leaves of species. Principal compound analysis produced six groups whose characters are described. Highly significant positive correlation exists between leaf length and leaf width, leaf length and lamina length, leaf length and petiole length, lamina length and lamina width. Negative correlation was observed between leaf width and leaf length/width ratio, petiole length and fruit length/petiole length ratio. The groups that emerged compared well with existing traditional classification with some sub-sectional discrepancies.

Key words: Ficus, morphometric analysis, numerical classification.