RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Species containing extremely aromatic compounds in leaves of Chimonanthus was analyzed to evaluate its genetic diversity and genetic relationships.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>AFLP molecular marker technique was used in the study, UPGMA cluster analysis was conducted with the software of POPGENE32.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Five hundred and fifty-nine bands were amplified by 10 pairs of primers screened, of which 226 bands were polymorphic, and the percentage of polymorphic bands was 36.8%. Observed number of alleles, effective number of alleles, Nei's genetic diversity index and Shannon's information index were 1.992 6, 1.306 5, 0.199 2 and 0.325 1, respectively. Genetic distances of the 21 populations were ranged from 0.039 2 to 0.289 4.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Species containing extremely aromatic compounds in leaves of Chimonanthus with low genetic diversity play an important role in enhancing the protection of species and germplasm resources. Form the molecular level, the studies demonstrated the correctness of the result by Zhang Ruohui that species containing extremely aromatic compounds in leaves of Chimonanthus were divided into Ch. salicifolius, Ch. Zhejiangensis, Ch. nitens and Ch. grammatus.</p>