Chromosome studies have been carried out on two endemic species of the northern Western Ghats, India, viz. Barleria lawii and B. sepalosa. Both species showed 2n = 40 mitotic chromosomes. Chromosomes had median region centromeres and both species exhibited a karyotype formula of 20m. Karyotypes were moderately symmetrical and fell into category 4b of Stebbins' asymmetry classes. Values for the intrachromosomal index (A 1 ) for Barleria lawii and B. sepalosa were 0.23 and 0.28, respectively, while the interchromosomal index (A 2 ) for the former was 0.19 and 0.23 for the latter. Meiosis was found to be normal and both species had 20 bivalents at diplotene/diakinesis. These data on cytogenetics add to the information about karyosystematics of Barleria section Chrysothrix and will be useful in understanding species interrelationships and also in undertaking hybridization programmes for producing hybrids of ornamental interest. Since gross chromosome morphology of the two species in particular, and all Barleria species for which chromosome data are available in general, is similar, it is suggested that further linear differentiation of chromosomes and better understanding of karyotype evolution in Barleria should be possible using banding techniques and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) approaches.