Sex Morph, Fruiting Characteristics, and Seed Viability of Acer palmatum var. matsumurae (Koidz.) Makino

To examine the sex morph, fruiting characteristics and seed viabilities of Acer palmatum var. matsumurae (Koidz.) Makino, the flowers and seed-sets of 101 trees were collected from early April to late October 2010, and floral structure and seed viability were studied. Among investigated 101 trees, 73.3% of trees were protandrous (PA: pollen is shed before stigmas are receptive) and 26.7% were protogynous (PG: stigmas are receptive before pollen is shed). Acer palmatum var. matsumurae has heterodichogamous sexual system. Number of flowers and seed-sets per inflorescence are significantly different between sex morphs, and PA has more flowers and seed-sets per inflorescence than PG. Rates of sound seeds and decayed seeds are significantly different between sex morphs. Rates of sound seeds were 46.4% in PA, but 65.6% in PG. and rates of decayed seeds were 49.6% in PA, but 23.6% in PG. The differences of decayed seeds' rates between sex morphs might be related with the timing of pistil flower blooming and insect pests' outbreak.