Abstract: In order to develop elite genotypes of Camellia azalea, we determined phenotypic traits based on 14 quantitative leaf traits from 37 samples, and analyzed the variation coefficient, correlations between traits, principal component analysis and cluster analysis. The variation coefficients of the traits ranged from 5.3% to 47%, and the average variation coefficient was 18.52%. The quantitative leaf traits of C.azalea resources had extensive variation with rich genetic diversity. The correlation coefficients between leaf length and leaf shape index, leaf area and leaf dried weight, and piteous length and piteous length/leaf length ratio were 0.967, 0.942 and 0.828, respectively. By principal component analysis indicated six leaf traits (leaf area, leaf length, piteous length/leaf length, left leaf width/leaf width, and leaf area/leaf dried weight) were the most important characteristics discriminating variation among 37 C.azalea samples. By hierarchical cluster analysis, 37 samples were divided into five groups.

Key words: Camellia azalea, variation coefficient, correlation analysis, principal component analysis, cluster analysis