Abstract: The present work deals with a study of the karyotypic analy-ses for two species of Cupressaceae-Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco and Fokienia hodginsii (Dunn) Henry et Thomas. The karyotype of the lat- ter is reported for the first time. The number of somatic chromosomes in root tip cell of the two species was found to be 2n=22. According to the termino-logy defined by Levan et al., the karyotypes are all 2n=22 =4m (SAT) + 18m, both belonging to Stebbins't"l1" type of karyotypic symmetry, and should therefore be generally considered as rathet primitive ones. But the diffe- rences in both length and arm-ratio of chromosomes have shown that the karyo-type of Fokienia hodginsii is less symmetrical than that of Platycladus ori- entalis. The former may be a little more adyanced than the latter. Recently, Chen Ke-youn reported karyotype of Fokienia hodginsii, and the chromosome number was said to be 2n =24. Owing to the results of Chents study being quite different from ours, it seems desirable to carry out a further study with regard to the reason for inconsistency.

Key words: karyotype, analyses, L.Chinensis, paris, orientalis