Seed variability of the Polish species of the genus Sorbus (Rosaceae)

This paper presents the results of the study on morphological differentiation of seeds of five Polish species of the genus Sorbus L. (S. aria (L.) Crantz, S. aucuparia L. Emend. Hedl., S. chamaemespilus (L.) Crantz, S. intermedia (Ehrh.) Pers. and S. torminalis (L.) Crantz). The biometric data of 1980 seeds were subjected to multivariate statistical analysis in attempt to define intraspecific variation and to find differences between studied taxa. Most of the seed traits are significantly correlated and are characterised by moderate level of variation. Seeds of S. aucuparia (both subspecies) are the least variable while seeds of S. torminalis and S. intermedia the most. On the basis of size and shape traits of Sorbus seeds only seeds of S. aucuparia can be definitely distinguished from the others.