Abstract: A pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of different Cd concentrations  on the leaf morphology and physiological and biochemical indices of 3-year-old Viburnum odoratissimum and V. tinus seedlings, and the Cd accumulation in their roots, stems, and leaves. Cadmium stress had no significant effects (P<0.05) on the leaf physiological and biochemical indices of V. odoratissimum. However, under stress of 100 mg·kg^-1CdCl₂, the V. tinusseedling's leaves were damaged. Their electrolyte leakage and MDA content increased, while chlorophyll content decreased. When the Cd stress reached 400 mg·kg^-1, the leaves scorched, plants wilted, and the growth potential turned weak. For the two plant species, the Cd content in roots was higher than that in leaves and stems, suggesting that both V. tinus and V. odoratissimum had definite potential in enriching soil Cd. Compared with V. tinus, V. odoratissimum had stronger tolerance to Cd stress, and could be planted on the soils seriously polluted by Cd.

Key words: Nitrogen metabolism, Environmental regulation, Water stress, Key enzymes, Pathway