A comparative morphological study of Thymelaeaceae in Korea

Thymelaeaceae in Korea includes ten species in five genera (Daphne, Diarthron, Edgeworthia, Stellera, and Wikstroemia). This study investigated the morphology of these species using herbarium specimens and fresh materials obtained during fieldwork to understand the variation level and to delineate each taxon in the family. Our comparative morphological analysis showed that the Korean taxa in Thymelaeaceae were easily distinguished based on their morphologies. It is easy to distinguish Daphne from Wikstroemia when the Korean taxa are considered. However, Daphne genkwa is morphologically similar to Wikstroemia based on the leaf arrangement, pubescence of the leaves, and the ovary shape. The results here suggest that further systematic studies of the Daphne group using more data are necessary.