Multivariate analysis of morphological characteristics of two species of passion flower with ornamental potential and of hybrids between them.

We estimated genetic parameters through multivariate analysis of two species of Passiflora and their hybrids, considered of ornamental potential, based on the morphological characteristics: flower diameter, corona diameter, corona filament size, flower peduncle length, petal length and width, sepal length and width, internode length, stem diameter, leaf length, leaf width (mm), and leaf area (cm(2)). Five specimens of Passiflora sublanceolata [ex P. palmeri var. sublanceolata], five of P. foetida var. foetida and 20 F(1) hybrids between the two were evaluated. A randomized block design with four replications was used. The data were submitted to variance analysis and multivariate procedures, principal components analysis and unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean grouping. We found significant differences between genotypes for all these morphological parameters. The hybrid plants had the highest variability, making them the most indicated for future improvement programs. The various multivariate techniques gave similar results, allowing separation of the plants into three distinct groups, these being the two paternal species and the hybrids. The hybrids were closer to the male genitors, revealing a paternal effect on the inheritance of vegetative and floral characters. Based on estimates of genetic parameters, the floral characteristics are the most indicated for the selection of plants for ornamental purposes, since these characteristics displayed greatest variability, a variation index of more than one, and high genotypic determination coefficients.