Abstract: The roots of eight kinds of Rauvolfia, viz., R. yunnanensis Tsiang, R. latifrons Tsiang, R. tiaolushanensis Tsiang, R. vomitoria Afzel. ex Spreng, R. verticillata (Lour.) Baill., R. verticillata var. hainanensis Tsiang, R. verticillata var. oblanceolata Tsiang, R. verticillata f. rubrocarpa H. T. Ghang. mss. were compared for their morphological and histological characters, colour reactions, capillary chromatograms and thin-layer chromatograms. Futhermore, six adulterants of Rauvolfia, viz., Ervatamia officinalis Tsiang, E. hainanensis Tsiang, E. divaricata (L.) Burk., Alstonia scholaris(L.) R. Br., Winchia calophylla A. DC. and Euodia lepta (Spreng.) Merr. have also been studied in the aspects of their morphology, histology and thin-layer chromatograms.