Objective  By testing Ormosia hosiei elite families to reveal the genetic variation of the growth and form-quality traits of O. hosiei families, and provide a reference for the breeding and directional cultivation of the superior materials of O. hosiei.

Method  3-year O. hosiei elite family plantations were used to study the genetic variation and the correlation among traits. The experimental forests were established in 2017 at two sites (Longquan of Zhejiang Province and Fuzhou of Jiangxi Province).

Result  The genetic differences of the growth and shape traits of 3-year-old O. hosiei were significant (p < 0.01). The variation coefficient of the growth and form-quality traits of the two sites ranged between 23.3% and 65.1%. With the exception of stem straightness, the estimated values of all the other family heritability traits of O. hosiei were high, and the variation ranged between 0.36 to 0.83, subjected to moderate to strong genetic control. The estimated values of individual heritability of tree height (0.87) was higher than that of family heritability (0.83) in Longquan, Zhejiang, which was strongly controlled by heredity. The individual heritability of O. hosiei trees in both the two sites was lower than the family heritability, the variation of individual heritability was from 0.04 to 0.61, which was under moderate to weak genetic control. On the whole, the genetic correlation coefficient was greater than the phenotypic correlation coefficient. The O. hosiei family with higher height and larger basal diameter has more branches and thicker branches. The plants with higher stem straightness can be selected indirectly through the selection of ground diameter.

Conclusion  There are extremely significant genetic differences, and the range of variation is large. Most traits were controlled by moderate to strong inheritance. The fast-growing O. hosiei individuals have more branches and thicker branches, which is beneficial to the breeding of O. hosiei germplasm resources.