Serological tests among more than 70 species ofGenisteaeand almost 30 species of other tribes ofFabaceaeallowed to verify several hypotheses on the origin and diversification of theGenisteae.The results obtained indicate thatGenisteaesensu Polhill are a natural group, which is phyletically related toThermopsideaeand toSophoreae.The remaining of primitiveGenisteaeis represented by such genera asLaburnum, Cytisophyllum, Hesperolaburnum, Podocytisus, Petteria.The main lines of diversification of the tribe are:Cytisus(incl.Chamaecytisus, Sarothamnus, Corothamnus)—Lembotropis-Calicotome, andGenista(incl.Teline, Chamaespartium)—Ulex. Adenocarpus, Argyrolonium, andLupinusare part of this tribe, but belong to independent lines of diversification. A number of xeromorphic genera of the mediterranean area (Spartium; Ecbinospartum; Cytisanthus-Retama) are serologically related to the «primitive» genera more than to other groups.