Curvature Analysis of Seed Silhouettes in the Euphorbiaceae

The Euphorbiaceae is a large, diverse, and cosmopolitan family of monoecious or dioecious trees, shrubs, herbs, and lianas. Their name comes from <i>Euphorbia</i>, one of the largest genera in the Angiosperms, with close to 2000 species and a complex taxonomy. Many of their members have...

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Main Authors: Emilio Cervantes, José Javier Martín-Gómez, Diego Gutiérrez del Pozo, Ángel Tocino
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Seeds
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2674-1024/3/4/41
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author Emilio Cervantes
José Javier Martín-Gómez
Diego Gutiérrez del Pozo
Ángel Tocino
author_facet Emilio Cervantes
José Javier Martín-Gómez
Diego Gutiérrez del Pozo
Ángel Tocino
author_sort Emilio Cervantes
collection DOAJ
description The Euphorbiaceae is a large, diverse, and cosmopolitan family of monoecious or dioecious trees, shrubs, herbs, and lianas. Their name comes from <i>Euphorbia</i>, one of the largest genera in the Angiosperms, with close to 2000 species and a complex taxonomy. Many of their members have an economic interest in multiple applications, including pharmaceutical, nutritional, and others. The seeds of the Euphorbiaceae develop in schizocarps and have a diversity of shapes that have proven useful for species identification and classification. Nevertheless, analytical quantitative methods can be the subject of further development for the application of seed morphology in the taxonomy of this family. With this objective, measurements of size (area, perimeter, length, and width) and shape (circularity, aspect ratio, roundness, and solidity) in seed images of 230 species representative of the main taxonomic groups of Euphorbiaceae are presented, and curvature analysis is applied to 19 species. Seed images corresponding to many species of this family present a tetragonal pattern with a curvature peak in the apical pole and three in the basal pole. The results of the curvature analysis are discussed in relation to other morphological properties, revealing new aspects of seed morphology of taxonomic application.
format Article
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issn 2674-1024
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher MDPI AG
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spelling doaj-art-bf779754db2145c3aaa7f22cd79fe4b52025-08-20T02:57:01ZengMDPI AGSeeds2674-10242024-11-013460863810.3390/seeds3040041Curvature Analysis of Seed Silhouettes in the EuphorbiaceaeEmilio Cervantes0José Javier Martín-Gómez1Diego Gutiérrez del Pozo2Ángel Tocino3Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Cordel de Merinas 40, 37008 Salamanca, SpainInstituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Cordel de Merinas 40, 37008 Salamanca, SpainHerbario Amazónico del Ecuador ECUAMZ, Universidad Estatal Amazónica, Carretera Tena a Puyo Km. 44, Carlos Julio Arosemena Tola 150950, Napo, EcuadorDepartamento de Matemáticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Salamanca, Plaza de la Merced 1-4, 37008 Salamanca, SpainThe Euphorbiaceae is a large, diverse, and cosmopolitan family of monoecious or dioecious trees, shrubs, herbs, and lianas. Their name comes from <i>Euphorbia</i>, one of the largest genera in the Angiosperms, with close to 2000 species and a complex taxonomy. Many of their members have an economic interest in multiple applications, including pharmaceutical, nutritional, and others. The seeds of the Euphorbiaceae develop in schizocarps and have a diversity of shapes that have proven useful for species identification and classification. Nevertheless, analytical quantitative methods can be the subject of further development for the application of seed morphology in the taxonomy of this family. With this objective, measurements of size (area, perimeter, length, and width) and shape (circularity, aspect ratio, roundness, and solidity) in seed images of 230 species representative of the main taxonomic groups of Euphorbiaceae are presented, and curvature analysis is applied to 19 species. Seed images corresponding to many species of this family present a tetragonal pattern with a curvature peak in the apical pole and three in the basal pole. The results of the curvature analysis are discussed in relation to other morphological properties, revealing new aspects of seed morphology of taxonomic application.https://www.mdpi.com/2674-1024/3/4/41curvaturegeometrymorphometryshape quantification
spellingShingle Emilio Cervantes
José Javier Martín-Gómez
Diego Gutiérrez del Pozo
Ángel Tocino
Curvature Analysis of Seed Silhouettes in the Euphorbiaceae
Seeds
curvature
geometry
morphometry
shape quantification
title Curvature Analysis of Seed Silhouettes in the Euphorbiaceae
title_full Curvature Analysis of Seed Silhouettes in the Euphorbiaceae
title_fullStr Curvature Analysis of Seed Silhouettes in the Euphorbiaceae
title_full_unstemmed Curvature Analysis of Seed Silhouettes in the Euphorbiaceae
title_short Curvature Analysis of Seed Silhouettes in the Euphorbiaceae
title_sort curvature analysis of seed silhouettes in the euphorbiaceae
topic curvature
geometry
morphometry
shape quantification
url https://www.mdpi.com/2674-1024/3/4/41
work_keys_str_mv AT emiliocervantes curvatureanalysisofseedsilhouettesintheeuphorbiaceae
AT josejaviermartingomez curvatureanalysisofseedsilhouettesintheeuphorbiaceae
AT diegogutierrezdelpozo curvatureanalysisofseedsilhouettesintheeuphorbiaceae
AT angeltocino curvatureanalysisofseedsilhouettesintheeuphorbiaceae