Inheritance and Variation of Floral and Fruit Quantitative Traits of Liriodendron Interspecific Hybrid and Its Parent Species

Thirteen floral and fruit quantitative traits of Liriodendron interspecific hybrids (L. chinense×L. tulipifera) and its parent species were studied. The results showed that great differences among groups were found for the length of perianth segment (LP) and 8 other traits, which could be used in group discrimination. The length of anther (LA) and 10 other traits are different significantly among individuals in groups. This indicates that there has higher level polymorphism in groups. Compared with L. tulipifera, the hybrids are more like L. chinense in the number of stamen (NS) and 7 other traits, while the width of perianth segment (WP) and 3 other characters showed patroclinal inheritance or patroclinal transgressive inheritance. By means of the methods of cluster analysis and principal components analysis the specimens were grouped successfully.