QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF COROLLA SHAPE VARIATION IN SOLANUM SECT PETOTA BY COMPUTER IMAGE-ANALYSIS

Computer image analysis was used to quantify the corolla shapes of Sol anum species. Three approaches were applied, using global features, a selected number of points along the contour, and complete contour desc riptions, the latter in three different variants. All permit quantific ation of corolla shape and are in fact generally applicable in taxonom y for studying two-dimensional shapes. All image analysis methods gave comparable variation patterns: the observed variation of corolla shap es is continuous, which does not support the subdivision of S. subsect . Potatoe into two superseries on the base of corolla shape alone. The studied accession of S. tarijense (S. superser. Stellata) could not b e distinguished on corolla shape from that of S. berthaultii (S. super ser. Rotata).