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Representatives of the Tradescantia geniculata alliance (genus Gibasis Rafin.) in cultivation at Kew display considerable cytological and morphological diversity. Chromosome complements consist of either large or small chromosomeS. Plants with small chromosomes have either 2n= 16 or 2n= 32, and all form only bivalents at meiosis and have presumed basic numbers of x – 8 and x= 8 or 16 respectively. The 2n= 32 accessions are considered to represent T.geniculata in its strict sense; the identity of the 2n=16 plant is uncertain. Plants with large chromosomes have either 2n= 16 or 2n = 20 and each forms quadrivalents to the extent that they can be considered as cytological autotetraploidS. Basic numbers are then x= 4 and x=5, the lowest yet recorded for the Commelinaceae. The identity of the x= 4 species is uncertain. The x =5 plants are readily identified as T.karwinskyana.