Base on the survey of cytological data from Polygonateae,we reviewed chromosome numbers and their variations of taxa from the tribe Polygonateae,including their polyploidization and aneuploidization events,and the correlation with phylogenetic relationships and geographic distribution.The tribe includes ca.100 species from four genera of Maianthemum,Disporopsis,Heteropolygonatum,and Polygonatum.Polygonatum shows a wide variation of chromosome base numbers mainly from 8 to 16 with both polyploidization and aneuploidization simultaneously,quite different from the other three genera with stable basic chromosomal numbers,i.e.,Maianthemum (x=18),Heteropolygonatum (x=16),and Disporopsis (x=20).Chromosomal data support the recognition of the 4 genera in the tribe,each showing a distinct chromosomal pattern.We also find that a decreasing trend of chromosomal basic number of taxa in the tribe.The chromosomal evolution of the tribe is dominantly on the diploidy level with less polyploidization and the aneuploidization events are only found in Polygonatum.Cytological data are highly consistent with the phylogenetic relationships and provide useful implications for the evolution of the tribe.