Abstract:
This study evaluated 17 edible-ornamental lily accessions by systematically assessing their vegetative growth dynamics and floral ornamental traits. A comprehensive analysis of phenotypic variation and integrated utilization potential was performed using multivariate statistical approaches, including phenotypic diversity indices, correlation analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, and principal component analysis (PCA). Results revealed substantial phenotypic diversity among the accessions. Key floral traits—including bud length, petal length, flower diameter, stamen length, and pistil length—exhibited extremely significant positive correlations, indicating coordinated development of floral organs. Seventeen accessions into 3 distinct groups, which differed markedly in plant architecture and floral morphology, suggesting their suitability for diverse horticultural applications. PCA extracted 3 principal components accounting for 82.13% of the total variance; the first component was primarily associated with floral size traits (petal length, stamen length, pistil length, and bud length). A weighted comprehensive evaluation derived from PCA scores identified
Lilium regale,
L. taliense,
L. leucanthum,
L. henryi, and
L. brownii var.
viridulum as the top-performing accessions in terms of ornamental quality and overall performance.