부산대학교 도서관

This review has two purposes. One is to examine the use of numerical phenetics in botanical systematics during the last twenty years. Patterns of use are discussed in relation to the groups in which these approaches have been used and with regard to methodological design. Our second purposes is to review the recent literature on taxonomic methods in order to discuss the position of numerical phenetics as a basis for classification. We limit ourselves to botanical applications because the number of publications in all biological systematics is too large for a single review. This review of botanical applications is offered as a step toward a better understanding of the contribution numerical phenetics has made to taxonomy. We do not resolve the broader issue of whether numerical phenetics is the correct basis for biological classification. However, we indicate related issues that must be considered in more detail and with more application to real data sets. Phenetics will certainly play a role in these areas in the next several years. thus, this critique is also aimed at directing work so that taxonomic methodology and principle can be studied more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]