SEED MORPHOMETRY OF SELECTED PLANT SPECIES FROM BROMO TENGGER SEMERU NATIONAL PARK, EAST JAVA, INDONESIA: THE SIGNIFICANCE IN IDENTIFICATION AND DISPERSAL

Seed morphological characters assessed through morphometry, include both qualitative and quantitative parameters. These are crucial for supporting taxonomic identification and classification processes, as well as predicting traits related to seed dispersal strategies. This study aimed to identify the most influential morphometric characters for classifying seed types and their dispersal strategies. Seeds from 12 selected species, collected during a plant exploration at Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park (BTSNP), were analyzed. Measurements include seed length, width, thickness, weight, volume, and hilum size, along with observations of seed color, texture, and shape to calculate the Eccentricity Index (EI) and Flatness Index (FI). Data were analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis in PAST ver.4.04. The results revealed two seed groupings of species associated with M. acuminata from BTSNP based on morphometric influences: Group I, influenced by weight, color, hilum size, shape, texture, and EI value; and Group II: influenced by length, width, thickness, volume, and FI value. Overall, quantitative characters were more influential than qualitative ones in identifying the seeds of the 12 species studied. Thus, numerical characters serve as valuable supporting features for species grouping. Additionally, most seeds from the 12 species are likely dispersed by animals.