Abstract: Cytology of the tribe Trollieae and of the tribe Cimicifugeae in the Ranunculaceae was comparatively investigated. Caltha palustris L. is found to represent a polyploid series with 2n = 32 (4x), 48 (6x) and 64 (8x) in NW Yunnan, with the tetraploid cytotype being commoner and showing obvious karyotypic variation among the populations. The chromosomes of Caltha, Calathodes, Megaleranthis and Trollius are basically similar in size among the genera, all medium-sized and belonging to the R-type. The close affinity of Calathodes, Megaleranthis and Trollius is supported by both cytological and palynological evidence. The karyotypes of Beesia, Anemonopsis,Souliea, Cimicifuga and Actaea are very similar among the genera but remarkably different from those of Caltha, Calathodes, Megaleranthis and Trollius with respect to the chromosome size and chromosome morphology. From cytological data it is clear that Beesia has closer affinity with Anemonopsis , Souliea, Cimicifuga and Actaea than with Caltha , Calathodes , Megaleranahis and Trollius, and therefore may find its better position in the tribe Cimicifugeae.

Key words: Calathodes Hook. f. et Thoms., Beesia Balf. F et W. W. Smith, Trollieae Langlet, Cimicifugeae Torr. Et Gray, Ranunculaceae, Chromosome, Systematic position