Pinus mugo Turra geographic differentiation based on needle characters

The needles of 17 samples representing 15 populations of Pinus mugo Turra from the Alps, Apennines, Sudethians, Carpathians and Rhodopes were analysed in respect to 15 morphological and anatomical characters. The results of measurements were analysed statistically. The variation of the samples was generally not to large. Populations from the East Carpathians appeared different from all other examined. Two formed groups of analysed populations are separated mainly by thickness of epidermal cells, width/thickness of epidermal cell ratio, needle width and needle thickness. The differences between two groups of populations suggest their longer separation during Pleistocene.