Original scientific paper

Morphometric research of samaras of North American ash species from Croatian plantations

DARIO KREMER ; Pharmaceutical Botanical Garden, »Fran Kušan«, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, Schrootova 37, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
RENATA JURIŠIĆ GRUBEŠIĆ ; Department of Analytics and Control Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb, A. Kovačića 1, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
TOMISLAV DUBRAVAC ; Division of Silviculture, Croatian Forest Research Institute, Cvijetno naselje 41, 10450 Jastrebarsko, Croatia

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Fraxinus americana L. and F. pennsylvanica
were introduced 100 years ago in forest management in the lowland
regions of Croatia to afforestation sites where the native narrow-leaved ash could not survive. These species are not distinguished in the practice in Croatia. The aim of the article was to determine distinguishing traits between these introduced North American ash species based on morphological traits of samaras. Reliable determination is the necessary precondition for successful forest management of plantations of these two species.

Materials and Methods: Samaras were collected from 50 trees in Croatian plantations on 5 localities (Karlovac, Dugo Selo, Đurđevac, Batina, Gunja), and from 3 voucher trees of F. americana and from 1 voucher tree of F. pennsylvanica. The following traits were measured: length of samara, length and width of samara wing, length and width of seed cavity, and the length of wing along the cavity. The results were evaluated using UPGMA method of cluster analysis with Euclidean distance (DE).

Results: The most variable trait was absolute length of wing along seed cavity with coefficient variability (CV) from 8.38% to 23.41%, while the least variable trait was the ratio between the length of seed cavity and the length of samara (CV=3.64–7.84%). Samaras from Croatian plantations showed similarity with F. pennsylvanica. Cluster analysis separated voucher trees of F. americana from trees from Croatian plantations of North American ash species, while the tree of F. pennsylvanica fitted among the trees from Croatian plantations.

Conclusions: Only the presence of F. pennsylvanica in Croatian plantations was confirmed.

Keywords

Fraxinus americana; Fraxinus pennsylvanica; lowland forest lantations

Hrčak ID:

58268

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/58268

Publication date:

1.9.2010.

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