Blooming and Fruiting Characteristics in Clonal Seed Orchard of Picea crassifolia

An observation was carried out on the flowering and fruiting features of Picea crassifolia occurring in a clonal seed orchard located in Longqu of Zhangye,Gansu Province,China.The results were reported as follows.1)The pollination and shedding period of P.crassifolia male and female flowers were between late April and early May,pollination period sustained 6-11 days and shedding period was 8-13 days.2)The quantity between male and female flower balls was significantly different.3)Female cones mainly distributed in the top of the branches in the middle or upper layers of the crown,the male cone however,in the middle of the weak branches in the middle or lower layers of the crown.The distribution was the result of natural selection,which was favorable for the pollination and seed distributing.Plenty of light and nutrients were required for the differentiation of female flowers,but male cone differentiation and development needed less light and nutrition.In the horizontal distribution,light exhibited some influences on the female cone distribution,the number of female cone on the south side was more than on that in the other sides.For male cone distribution,relative balances in the number of the cones were observed in each side.In the vertical direction,more than 90% of female ball flowers distributed in the upper crown,and 90% of the male flowers distributed in the middle or lower part of the crown,the ratio of female to male was in the order of upper crown middle crown low crown.