Abstract: Karyomorphology was investigated on 13 species of the genus Aspidistra (Liliaceae s. l. ) from China,among which six are found to have the chromosome number 2n= 36 and seven 2n = 38. For the species with the chromosome number 2n= 36, karyotypes are reported as follows. l. A. triloba Wang et Lang:2n = 36 = 6m + 14sm+ 16st(2sat);2. A. hexianensis J. L. Huang et Hong:2n = 36 = 16m + 6sm + 14st(2sat); 3. A. retusa K. Y. Lang et S. Z. Huang: 2n = 36 = 16m + 6sm + 14st (2sat) ;4. A. dolichanthera X. X. Chen:2n = 36 = 16m+ 6sm(2sat) + 12st + 2t;5. A. fungilliformis Y. Wan:2n = 36 = 16m + 2sm + 18st (2sat) ;6. A. tonkinensis Wang et Tang: 2n = 36 = 14m + 8sm + 12st (2sat) + 2t + nB. Karyotypes of the species with the chromosome number 2n=38 are also formulated as follows:7. A. minutifiora Stapf:2n= 38 = 12m + 12sm + 8st (2sat) + 6t and 2n = 38 = 12m + 12sm +12st (2sat) +2t respectively in two different populations;8. A .fimbriata Wang et Lang:2n= 38 + 2B = 20m + 4sm + 12st + 2t (2sat) + 2B; 9. A. sichuanensis K. Y. Lang et Z. Y. Zhu:2n = 38 =20m + 6sm + 12st(2sat); 10. A. elatior Bl. :2n= 38 = 22m + 4sm(2sat) + 12st; 11.A. subrotata Y. Wan et C. C. Huang:2n= 38= 22m + 2sm + 14st(2sat); 12. A. longanensis Y. Wan: 2n = 38 = 20m + 6sm + 12st (2sat); 13. A. longiloba G. Z. Li: 2n = 14m + 12sm(2sat) + 8st + 4t. All the above species have bimodal karyotypes which belong to Stebbins'karyotype classification 2C. In addition, several viewpoints are proposed: 1. The first pair of small chromosomes, almost always having satellites on the short arms, characterizes the karyotypes of the genus. 2. Chromosome numbers are closely correlated with floral structure. 2n=38 is always found in the species with dingy-colored flower, swollen stigma and stamens inserted at the base of perianth tube;the species with bright-colored flower, smaller stigma and stamens inserted at upper or middle part of perianth tube usually have the chromosome number 2n = 36. 3. The basic chromosome number x = 19 is considered as original one in the genus,while x=18 is derived.

Key words: Aspidistra, Karyotype, Characteristic chromosome, Floral structure, Dysploid, Original basic chromosome number