Article

A biometric study of the Hippocrepis balearica aggregate from Balearic Island and Alicante (eastern Iberic Peninsula) was carried out. Fiftyeight samples were used in a statistical treatment (principal component analysis and clusterisation) based on 26 variables. The results support the recognition of two species, H. balearica and H. grosii comb. nova. Two subspecies within H. balearica are included, H. balearica subsp. balearica and H. balearica subsp. valentina. Factors in evolutionary trends are suggested.