Taxonomic reliability of leaf and fruit morphological characteristics of the Pyrus L. taxa in Slovakia

Abstract

In the last decade in European countries attention was already paid to rare woody plants in connection with expected changes of global climate. These were such woody plants that are able to grow in rather warm and arid environmental conditions. Wild pear (Pyrus L.) is one of these woody plants. It is a significant but scattered component of rural landscape and of woodland communities (ROLOFF 1998).In 1994-1999, 64 experimental plots were established in Slovakia where pear occurred more frequently. A comparatively large scope of problems was studied on obtained data: pear requirements for environmental conditions (PAGANOVÁ 2003a), its growth abilities (PA-GANOVÁ 2001), production qualities of pear populations and occurrence of lower taxa of this genus (PAGANOVÁ 2003b).This material allowed to evaluate statistical significance of the morphological characteristics of leaves and fruits within the taxonomic identification of Pyrus pyraster (L.) BURGSD., Pyrus nivalis JACQ. and Pyrus × amphigenea (DOMIN, DOSTÁL in DOSTÁLEK 1989). These taxa were found in the territory of Slovakia. Great attention has been paid to the evaluation of generative pear progenies within the data collection. Scope of problemsThree lower taxa of the genus Pyrus L. are mentioned according to PENIAŠTEKOVÁ (1992) Among the mentioned taxa, Pyrus nivalis JACQ. is quite easily identified according to the morphological characteristics of leaves. Its leaves are elongate obovate, elliptic or even lanceolate, with entire leaf margin. They have the acute leaf base and in maturity they are white pubescent (PENIAŠTEKOVÁ 1992;TERPÓ 1960; KRÁ-LIK 1994).In some cases it is rather difficult to identify wild pear Pyrus pyraster (L.) BURGSD. and common pear Pyrus communis L. emend. BURGSD.WAGNER (1995) compiled all known and published information, results of research work, measured data and experiences of experts from various institutions. He elaborated a table of characteristics that are suitable for the identification of vegetative organs, fruits, shoots, leaves and also blooms of both these pear taxa.Identification is complicated due hybridisation between cultivated pear sorts and wild pear (Pyrus pyraster). Progenies or half-cultivated individuals of hybrid origin are called naturalised pears. Such additional multi-hybridisation induces certain variability of plant habit, leaf shape and fruits of Pyrus pyraster. It is possible to study a conversion of wild pear to cultivated pear sorts within this morphological variability. Therefore it is more and more complicated to identify a bondary between cultivated pear sorts, naturalised plants and wild pear (TERPÓ 1960 ABSTRACT: A population of 1,149 pear individuals from Slovakia is analysed according to their morphological characteristics of fruits and leaves. Three basic taxa were identified -Pyrus pyraster, Pyrus amphigenea and Pyrus nivalis. Qualitative traits (shape of leaf blade, fruit shape, type of leaf or fruit base, etc.) allowed the exact identification of a particular taxon only in some cases. Quantita...

Genetic diversity and structure of Pyrus accessions of Indian Himalayan region based on morphological and SSR markers

“…Diversity in fruit shape has been observed in wild and cultivated varieties of pear (Paganová 2003). Characters like reduced ratio of fruit length to diameter, rough fruit surface, hard pulp texture and more grittiness were key characters in our data set, which differentiated the European pears from Asiatic pears and their wild relatives.…”

Genetic diversity and population structure of wild pear (Pyrus pyraster (L.) Burgsd.) in Poland

“…pyraster L.) is a woody plant and closely related to the European pear (P. communis). This species comes from the western Black Sea region and the distribution of the species extends from the British Isles to Latvia [26][27][28][29]. The wild pear is the only species of pears that grows naturally in the region of Central Europe.…”

“…The wild pear is the only species of pears that grows naturally in the region of Central Europe. However, its taxonomic definitions appear inadequate and conflicting because of the extensive morphological heterogeneity of individual plants identified as P. pyraster [27,28].…”

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