A PRELIMINARY STUDY ON GROUP CLASSIFICATION OF MAJOR FUJIAN LONGAN VARIETIES

An observation on ten typical longan varieties in three important lon-gan productive regions of Fujian Province (Fuzhou, Putian, Quanzhou) is reported. It attempted to find out the organs of steady inheritance in different varietal populations by means of examination of botanical characters. In order to establish a complete classification of longan varieties, and to be confirmed by enzymology, it will make a further study on the attribution of other longan varieties inside and outside Fujian Province.The results of recent research demonstrate that the shape of longan seed top is steadily inheritable and easy to recognize.So it can be regarded as a leading mark for classification. Based on this and also on the shape of placentations and the open size of stigma and the shape of leaves, Fujian longan varieties may be divided into three populations and six groups.1.Honghe Zhi population:Honghe Zhi group(including Honghe Zhi, Puminang, Jiaoyan ), Dongbi group (including Dongbi, Dapilong);2.Yu Tanben population:Yu Tanben group, Wunonglin group;3.Huyan population:Huyan group (including Huyan, Chike ), Sui-zhang group.The key to the variety populations of longan is listed.