Abstract: In order to evaluate the phenotypic variation of eight natural populations of Sarcandra glabra in Mt. Jinyun, Chongqing, 20 characteristics of fruit and seed were investigated. High levels of variations were revealed in these characteristics among/within populations. Fruit and seed production, number of infructescences and infructescence branches varied to a high degree, while the traits of fruit and seed to a low degree. Compared with fruit traits, the traits of seed seemed more stable. The average variation coefficient of different characteristics ranged from 1.477 (percentage of infructescence with four branches) to 0.041 (seed aspect ratio), while the average variation coefficient of populations ranged from 0.564 (population 6) to 0.292 (population 4). There was no significant difference in the sum of infructescence branches among populations, significant differences in the number of infructescences as well as the percentage of di-branch infructescences, and very significant differences in all the other characteristics. Variations within populations (60.7%) were the main source of phenotypic variations, and variations among populations (39.3%) influentially contributed as well. Populations of S.glabra in Mt. Jinyun had differentiated into two groups, which were mainly determined by coenotype and disturbance degree. Cluster of phenotypic characteristics based on Pearson correlation showed that similar characteristics highly correlated in differentiation progress and evolution speeds approximated.

Key words: phenotypic variation, fruit, seed, natural population, Sarcandra glabra