The phylogeny of the order Dipsacales s.l. is still problematic. Prior molecular studies based on rbcL and ndhF genes discussed the phylogeny of Dipsacales s.l., but because of limited sampling the problems could not be resolved contently. In our research, the strategies of dense sampling and combined DNA sequence analysis (trnL F region and ndhF gene) are carried out within Dipsacales s.l. to elucidate the delimitation of families and the relationships among them. Sequence data for the trnL-F region of 26 taxa (25 ingroups and 1 outgroup) and ndhF gene of 28 taxa (25 ingroups and 3 outgroups) were used in the phylogenetic analyses. Parsimony analysis for the combined data sets for both genes resulted in only one most parsimonious tree. The results clearly demonstrate Triplostegia is extremely close to Dipsacaceae; Morina, which seems nearby Dipsacaceae, is possibly a separate family of its own. Both Sambucus and Viburnum have very close relationships with Adoxaceae, which implies they are two members of that family. Caprifoliaceae s.l. (excluding Sambucus and Viburnum), which comprises the three clades Linnaeaceae (Abelia, Dipelta, Kolkwitzia, Linnaea), Diervillaceae (Weigela) and Caprifoliaceae s.str. (Heptacodium, Leycesteria, Lonicera, Symphoricarpos, Triosteum), is paraphyletic. The most parsimonious tree recognizes seven major clades of Dipsacales s.l. with the following relationships: (Apiales (Adoxaceae (Diervillaceae (Caprifoliaceae s.str. (Linnaeaceae (Morinaceae (Dipsacaceae, Valerianaceae)))))).

Key words: Adoxaceae, Caprifoliaceae s.l., Dipsacales s.l., ndhF, phylogeny, trnL-trnF