XVI International Botanical Congess

A similarity test is the first element for recognizing phylogenetic homology. Then, character congruence helps to screen homologous states for phylogenetic inference. The goal of this research was to use quantitative techniques for evaluations of character similarity and to identify states among groups of specimens, as the first step in postulating taxic homology. We analyzed variation in the characters of seta length, capsules, perichaetial leaves, vegetative leaves, and leaf cells among 16 species of Braunia (Hedwigiaceae) worldwide. Twenty-three measurements were taken from 220 specimens using the morphometric software INPAD or Image ProPlus. We did analyses of variance followed by multiple range tests for each character. The groups of taxon means revealed by these analyses were used to define the characters states that we recognized. These morphometric characters together with non-quantitative characters were then analyzed cladistically.