Total seed proteins of 20 Astragalus L. species belonging to 16
sections were electrophoretically analyzed using SDS-PAGE
technique. Multivariate analysis (cluster and principal coordinate
analysis) of the electrophoretic data showed heterogeneity
between some taxa. This heterogeneity was discussed on the light
of the controversy over the taxonomic position of Astragalus L.
species. The relationships among the examined taxa have been
demonstrated as cluster tree using SYSTAT-pc software. This
tree illustrated that the studied taxa were separated into two major
groups, the New World and the Old World species. The New World
group include the species Astragalus wootoni, A. allochrous, A. palmeri,
A. layneae, A. lentiginosus, A. nothoxys, A. minthorniae and A.
nuttallianu. However, Astragalus coccineus, A. pectinatus and A.
didymocarpus that considered from the New World, but separated in the
Old World group. Astragalus layneae separated from the rest taxa in the
New World group. This species was located in a separate section
layneani. The Old World group divided into three subgroups and
discussed on the light of earlier classification.