VARIABILITY OF MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN ORIENTAL ARBORVITAE’S (PLATYCLADUS ORIENTALIS (L.) FRANCO) SEEDS IN CRIMEA

The oriental arborvitae (Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco), grown in Crimea for more than 200 years and widely used in ornamental gardening and afforestation, is among the least biologically studied species in our country. As a result of studying the variability of morphological characteristics in Platycladus orientalis seeds, four colour-seeded forms differing in colour intensity and seed colour have been revealed. The average length and thickness of the seed at the individual level vary from 4.95 to 7.11 mm and from 2.70 to 3.90 mm, respectively, with a higher (to increased) level of variability in seed thickness. In the majority of trees (72 %), only the length of the seed and the length of the halazal scar significantly correlate. The average length of the chalazal scar is from 3.1 to 5.9 mm and the seeds of most trees are characterized by an increased variability level. The seeds of Platycladus orientalis at the tree level are monotonous both in colour and shape, which is confirmed by the coefficient variability levels of the seed shape K1 and K2 . Seed coloration, average length, and seed shape coefficients K1 and K2 can be considered as statistical traits-phenes when assessing the intra-population and inter-population structure of oriental arborvitae. Comparison of morphological cones’ traits and characteristics of ripened seeds has shown a positive correlation between the number of viable seeds and the length of the cone body (90 % of trees), while the total number of externally morphologically normal seeds correlates with the cone thickness (70 % of trees). Correlations between the structural traits of both the seeds themselves and the structural traits of matured cones and seeds indicate the relationship of morphogenetic development vectors for both seeds and their maternal cones. The different manifestation of close correlations between traits indicates the complexity of the morphogenetic processes in their growth and development.