The present paper reports the chromosome numbers and karyotypes of five species in Polygonatum from Anhui of China. The materials used in this work  are listed in Table  1,  Photomicrographs of somatic metaphase  and karyograms of the five species of Polygonatum in Plate 1, 2, 3, the idiograms in

Fig. 1-11 and a comparison of the karyotype of them is provided in Table 2. The results are shown as follows:

     1. Polygonatum odoratum (Mill.)Druce

     Two materials were examined. One from Mt. Huangshan, Anhui, has 2n= 16 = 10m (3sc)+ 6sm (Plate 1 :A, B). The idiogram is shown in Fig. 1. The chromosomes range in length from 2.85 to 8.85 μm, with the total length  48.63μm and the ratio of the longest to the shortest 3.11, The karyotype belong  to Stebbins’(1971) 2B. The two chromosomes of the first pair have arm ratios  1.01 and 1.29 respectively, and The first pair has one chromosome carrying a  satellite attached to the short arm, showing heterozyosity .The chromosome num-

 ber of 2n= 16 in P. odoratum and its karyotype are reported for the first time.

      The other from Langyashan, Chu - xian, Anhui, is found to have 2n = 18 = 10m  (Isc)+2sm+6st(2sc) (Plate 1: C, D). The idiogram is shown in Fig. 2. The  chromosomes range in length from 2.43 to 8.29μm, with the total length 46.67µm  and the ratio of the longest to the shortest 3.41. The karyotype is also of 2B. In a somatic chromosome complement the 2nd pair have one chromosome carrying a satellite attached to the long arm, showing heterozygosity.

      2. Polygonatum filipes Merr.

      Two materials were examined. One from the Huangshan, Anhui is found to have two cytotypes: 2n= 16 and 2n=22. This paper reports one of them. The karyotype formula is 2n=22=8m+8sm(2sc)+6st(Plate 3:  Q,  R).  The  idiogram is shown in Fig. 3. The chromosomes range in length from 2.55- 5.85μm, with the total length 45.01 μm and the ratio of the longest to the  shortest 2.29. The karyotype belongs to 3B.

      The other material from the Fangchang, Anhui, is shown to have four cytitypes: 2n= 14, 2n= 16, 2n=20 (Plate 3: W) and 2n=22. This paper reports two of them.

      Type I: the karytype formula is 2n=14=10m+4sm (Plate 3: S, T). The idiogram is shown in Fig. 5. The chromosomes range in length from 2.59 to  7.61μm, the total length 37.44μm and the ratio of the longest to the shortest is  2.94. the karyotype belongs to 2B.

     Type II  :The karyotype formula is 2n=16=8m+4sm+4st (Plate 3: U, V).

 The idiogram is shown in Fig. 4. The chromosomes range in length from 2.65 to

 8.21 μm, the total length 46.01 μm and the ratio of the longest to the shortest

 3.10. The karyotype belongs to 2B.

     The chromosome numbers of 2n=20, 2n= 14 and 2n=22, and karyotype of

2n= 14 and 2n=22 in P. filipes are reported for the first time.

     3. Polygonatum cytonema Hua

     Two materials were examined. One from the Langyashan, Chuxian, anhui, is found to have 2n = 18 = 8m (2sc)+ 6sm+ 4st (Plate 2: K, L). The idiogram is shown in Fig. 7. The chromosomes range in length from 3.41 to 9.21 μm, the total length 56.34μm and the ratio of the longest to the shortest is 2.70. The karyotype belongs to 2B.

     The other material from the Huangshan, Anhui, has two cytotypes: 2n=20 and 2n= 22. Type I: The karyotype formula is 2n= 20= 8m+ 6sm+ 6st (Plate 2: M, N). The idiogram is shown in Fig. 8. The chromosomes range in length from 1.75 to 5.03μm, with the total length 32. 91μm and the ratio of the longest to the shortest 2. 87. The karyotype is also of 2B. Type II: The karyotype formula is 2n=22=6m+ 8sm+4st+ 4t (Plate 2: O, P ). The idiogram is Shown in Fig. 10. The chromosomes range in length from 1.75 to 4.95 μm, with total length 35.05μm and the ratio of the longest to the shortest 2.83. The karyotype brlongs to 3B.

    4. Polygonatum desoulayi kom.

    The  material  from  Xuancheng,  Anhui,  is  found  to  have  karyotype 2n = 22 = 10m (2sc) + 6sm (lsc) + 6st ( Plate 2. I, J).  The idiogram is shown in Fig. 6. The chromosomes range in length from 1.86 to 5.61μm, with the total length 41.98μm and the ratio of the longest to the shortest 3.02. The karyotype is also of 3B. The first pair has one chromosome carrying a satellite attached to the long arm, showing heterozygosity. The chromosome number and karyotype of Chinese material are reported for the first time.

     5. Polygonatum verticillatum (L.) All.