Cone Morphological Variation of the Picea jezoensis Complex in Eastern Asia

摘要

Picea jezoensis with several infraspecific taxa is indigenous to Eastern Asia and the Far East of Russia. Although these taxa are very common, the taxonomic confusion surrounding this complex is reflected in ambiguity of the various taxonomic treatments currently used. Patterns of intraspecific variations of cone morphology and recognition of taxa within the P. jezoensis complex were investigated from 175 individuals. Morphological variation of cone characters was determined by the univariate analysis to be insignificant in separating most previously recognized infraspecific taxa in Korea, China, Russia, and Japan. Our statistical analysis showed that cones from northern populations were larger and wider than those from southern populations. Individuals from South Korea were predominantly smaller even than those from Honshu of Japan which were previously recognized as var. hondoensis. All measured characters appeared to show some clinal variation with changes in latitude, and a distinctive trend was evident. Consequently var. hondoensis, var. koreana, and var. microsperma cannot retain their infraspecific state within the P. jezoensis complex.