2015, 28(2): 289-296.
In order to study the phenotypic variation patterns of the leaf and fruit traits of natural Gardenia jasminoides populations in different distribution areas, an investigation was made on the leaf and fruit traits of 25 natural G. jasminoides populations distributed in nine provinces of China. The results are as follows. The phenotypes of G. jasminoides present abundant variations within populations; the phenotypic differentiation coefficient was 85.97% within populations, which was higher than that within groups, suggesting that the variance among populations was the main part of the phenotypic variation. The most unstable phenotypes among different regions were fruit traits, such as size, length, longitudinal rib width, and peduncle length. The leaf traits of G. jasminoides were negatively correlated with fruit traits. The fruit size had very significant positive correlation with other fruit traits, while negatively correlated with leaf traits. The longitude was negatively correlated with leaf traits, while positively correlated with fruit traits. The fruit size had very significant negative correlation with latitude, and the length had very significant positive correlation with altitude. The annual average temperature and the average temperature in January were positively correlated with leaf traits, while negatively correlated with fruit traits. The annual rainfall was negatively correlated with fruit traits too, but the annual average sunshine had very significant positive correlation with the peduncle length. Twenty-five natural populations of G. jasminoides could be divided into six classes through the clustering analysis of phenotypes.