Distinctions among three Simarouba species

Simarouba amara is frequently confused with two other continental species o f the neotropical genus, S. glauca and S. versicolor. Cluster and Principal Component Analyses were applied to verify the distribution and variation o f the main diagnostic characters proposed in early revisions: newer and ant her size, stamen appendage indument, leaflet surface, and venation features . Simarouba glauca and S. versicolor were found to be morphologically close r to each other than to S. amara. Overlapping of characteristics in boundar y populations of the three species was found. Geographical and morphologica l data other than leaf features also proved useful for species identificati on.