A REEVALUATION OF TREE MODEL, INFLORESCENCE MORPHOLOGY, AND SEX-RATIOIN LYCHEE (LITCHI-CHINENSIS SONN)

The architecture of the lychee tree and the structure of the infloresc ence are described according to the terminology of Halle ct al. and We berling, The lychee tree has rhythmic modular growth and the infloresc ence is a heterocladic pleiothyrsoid. Additional paracladia may develo p from a second serial bud below the first-order paracladia, Male and female flowers are borne at variable positions on the dichasia. The re lation between the position and gender of the flowers on the partial i nflorescences (dichasia) varied with cultivar and time.