Abstract: Applying an improved CTAB method to extract DNA from leaves of Osmanthus fragrans, studied the classification and identification of 17 Osmanthus fragrans cultivars in Henan province by the technique of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) . Fifteen better 10 bp primers which were selected from one hundred arbitrary primers were applied to be amplified. Total 121 bands were produced , with which 87 bands were polymorphic. Genetic distance between each of the cultivars were calculated from simple matching coefficies. Adendrogram showing genetic relationships was constructed through an unweighted pair2group method. The genetic relationship of cultivar among different cultivar groups is farther than that in the same cultivar group. This conclusion is consistent with traditional cultivar classification. RAPD technology provides a few of new evidences for cultivar identification and classification to Osmanthus fragrans cultivars in Henan province.

Key words: Osmanthus fragrans Lour ., RAPD, Cultivar, Classification