Abstract: The vegetative characters of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. cv. Fuxiong are described in comparison with L. chuanxiong Hort. and L. sinense Oliv. The chromosome numbers and karyotypes of the three taxa were studied in root tip cells by Feulgen’s squash method. Their karyotypes are determined as follows: L. chuanxiong, K(2n)=22=16 m+ 4sm+2st (sat); L. chuanxiong cv. Fuxiong, K(2n)=33=24 m+6sm+3st (sat); L. sinense, K(2n)=22=12 m+6sm+2sm (sat)+2st (sat). The karyotypic similarities are found between L. chuanxiong and its cultivariety, butthe former is a diploid while the latter probably is a homologous triploid.

Key words: Ligusticum, L.chuanxiong cv. Fuxiong, L.chuanxiong, L.sinense, Karyotype