Abstract: Cotyledons of explants from ‘xianglin-4’ (XL-4), a Camellia oleifera clone, were cultured in MS medium with different hormones. Results showed that the optimal medium for embryogenetic callus formation was MS with 2.0 mg.L-1 2,4-D and 1.0 mg.L-1 KT; the optimal medium for shoot development via embryos was MS with 2.5 mg.L-1 6-BA and 1.5 mg.L-1 IAA; the optimal medium for root inducement was MS with 7.0 mg.L-1 NAA. Some materials from different processes of plantlet regeneration were discriminated by RAPD analysis. However, no mutations or differentiation were discovered. Therefore, it can be concluded that plantlets from tissue culture do not differ from quondam clones and can maintain the hereditary consistency well.

Key words: Camellia oleifera, Clone, Somatic embryogenesis, Tissue culture