Abstract: In this paper, the variation in fruit shape, size and its seed number were studied, and the correlativity of length and diameter of fruit to seed number for 12 species of Rhododendron from Zhejiang Province were analyzed. Based on the fruit shape and the ratio of length to diameter, 12 species of Rhododendron L. Were divided into three types. The seed number varied in different species. Rhododendron ovatum had the highest seed setting efficiency, followed by the species of Subgen Tsutsusi. The variation of seed number among the individuals of the same species was more obvious than that of the fruit. There was a significant positive correlation between the seed number in fruits and the length, diameter of fruit in most species. The results showed that fruit morphology might be an important character in systematic studies of Rhododendron L.

Key words: Rhododendron L., Fruit morphology, Seed number, Analysis of correlation