Morpho-colorimetric characterisation of Malva alliance taxa by seed image analysis.

Seed morphometric and -colorimetric features describing shape, size and textural seed traits of 28 taxa belonging to the genera Lavatera L. and Malva L., were recorded by means of computer vision techniques. The data were statistically analysed to contribute to the taxonomical treatment of the Malva alliance and to assess some doubtful systematic positions. A clear differentiation between taxa traditionally attributed to Lavatera or Malva was highlighted. Furthermore, the identification system proposed here was able to discriminate among the Lavatera sections, confirming the taxonomic organization of this genus. The results obtained for Malva, both at the species level and among sections, supported this analytical tool as diagnostic for systematic purposes.