Phenotypic Variations in Camptotheca Decaisne

Abstract

Variations in shape, size, color, and texture of fruits, shape and size of cotyledons, shape, venation pattern, sur- face and margin characters of mature leaves of 40 populations (either living plants or herbarium specimens) representing all known taxa of Camptotheca have been analyzed within and between populations. A majority of the observed pheno- typic variations for most morphometric measures was among populations. This is probably due largely to selfing and re- lated matings common to both natural and cultivated populations, resulting in the current population structure that now displays a highly fragmented distribution pattern. Trees of different generations from the same seed source but growing in different locations demonstrated minimal variations in both means and frequency distributions of leaf vein number, fruit length, fruit colors, and cotyledon vein number. The trees of different taxa even growing in the same location have sig- nificant difference in main characters particularly fruit color and texture. The key diagnostic characters for the identifica- tion of taxa of Camptotheca are leaf shape, venation type, vein number, stoma size and frequency, outer stomatal rim, subsidiary cell number, and gland size; cotyledon shape, venation type, and vein number; and the fruit surface texture, disc, length, and color.