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The genus <i>Hedysarum</i> L. (Fabaceae) includes about 200 species of annual and perennial herbs distributed in Asia, Europe, North Africa, and North America. Many species of this genus are valuable medicinal, melliferous, and forage resources. In this review, we consider the taxonomic history of the genus <i>Hedysarum</i>, the chromosomal organization of the species from the sections <i>Hedysarum</i> and <i>Multicaulia</i>, as well as phylogenetic relationships between these sections. According to morphological, genetic, and phylogenetic data, the genus <i>Hedysarum</i> is divided into three main sections: <i>Hedysarum</i> (= syn. <i>Gamotion</i>), <i>Multicaulia</i>, and <i>Stracheya</i>. In species of this genus, two basic chromosome numbers, x = 7 (section <i>Hedysarum</i>) and x = 8 (sections <i>Multicaulia</i> and <i>Stracheya</i>), were determined. The systematic positions of some species within the sections are still uncertain due to their morphological similarities. The patterns of distribution of molecular chromosomal markers (45S rDNA, 5S rDNA, and different satellite DNAs) in karyotypes of various <i>Hedysarum</i> species made it possible to determine their ploidy status and also specify genomic relationships within the sections <i>Hedysarum</i> and <i>Multicaulia.</i> Recent molecular phylogenetic studies clarified significantly the taxonomy and evolutionary development of the genus <i>Hedysarum.</i>