Abstract: Lilium brownii var. viridulum Baker is an important medicinal plant species. Here we employed inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers to explore genetic diversity and patterns of genetic variation in 100 individuals from four cultivated populations in Jiangxi Province. Using 14 ISSR primers, 213 discernible DNA fragments were scored with 165（77.5%）being polymorphic. High levels of genetic variation were revealed both at the population level（mean PPF = 31.69%，Ne = 1.198，I = 0.168，Hpop = 0.113）and the species level（PPF = 77.46%，Ne = 1.438，I = 0.392，Hpop = 0.260）. Strong genetic differentiation among populations（AMOVA：FST = 0.632，P < 0.001）was also detected, which may result from artifical selection and long-term cultivation. The UPGMA cluster analysis and principal components analysis (PCA) revealed that individuals from the same population formed a distinct group，and LS population was clearly separated from other populations. On the basis of these observations, some suggestions for efficient management of the genetic resources of this important medicinal herb are proposed.

Key words: lily, Lilium brownii var. viridulum Baker, ISSR, genetic diversity