Abstract: Based on the results of the phytochemical studies on genus Polygonatum, this paper divided all of the steroidal sapogenins that isolated from this genus into five classes of the oxidation level. The rules of the molecular evolution of these sapogenins in different oxidation levels were analyzed. Moreover, correlations between the molecular evolution of steroidal saponins and the morphological aspects of this genus were discussed. The results showed that the original taxa, such as the species from Ser. Alternifolia, contained saponins with lower oxidation level. Whereas , most of the saponins with higher oxidation level sapogenins were found mostly in the relative evolutive taxa, especially in Ser. Verticillata. This chemotaxonomic viewpoint will conduce to establish a phylogeny of the genus Polygonatum.

Key words: Steroidal saponins