Phenotypic diversity and provenance variation of <i>Cupressus funebris</i>: a case study in the Sichuan Basin, China

The findings reveal a considerable level of phenotypic variation (PVC of 16.9%) and genetic diversity (1.97 index) in <i>Cupressus funebris</i> germplasm resources. The phenotypic differentiation is observed to be 48% between provenances and 52% within provenances, primarily attributed to variation originating from individual provenances. Based on these morphological characteristics, the germplasm resources have been categorized into four distinct groups: Ecological Restoration Planting, Secondary Reserve Forest, Urban Greening, and Timber Forest. Interestingly, the pattern of variation observed within these groups is irregular, exhibiting no significant correlation with their respective provenances. Furthermore, conifer trees sharing similar growth characteristics tend to display comparable patterns of random variation, suggesting potential underlying genetic mechanisms. This study significantly enriches the phenotypic dataset within the genetic variation research of <i>Cupressus funebris</i>, facilitating development and utilization for ecological construction, timber breeding, and horticultural greening.