Celestite in western Jiangxi--eastern Hunan area occurs mainly in Lower Permian nodular limestone composed of bioclastic micritic limestone or marl,with a small quantity seen in calc-magnesian shale. Its crystals commonly elongate in prismatic form parallel to a or b axis, and the aggregates are spatially in radiate arrangement and hence look like chrysanthemum in full bloom. Such a crystal habit is rather unique in celestite. The chrvsanthemum-shaped celestite is greyish white, commonly with yellowish or reddish tint; transparent to trenslucent; vitreous luster; fragile;hardness 3-3.5; specific gravity 4.0. Crystals elongate in prismatic form parallel to a or b axis, and aggregates assume radiate form. Under microscope,the mineral is colorless to pale blue, its shape changes from prismatic to parallelogramic or rhombic depending on its orientation in thin section, and its cleavages are well developed. Refractive indexes measured by the immersion method: Ng= 1.630, Np= 1.622. Its X-ray diffraction and infrared data are consistent with the data of standard celestite. Compared with celestite abroad,celestite from this area is purer in compsition and contains lower barium and calcium, which exist in the form of isomorphous substitution. Based on studies, the atrthors consider that the celestite may have been crystallized around the crystallite or the colloidsl SiO2 nucleus in favorable horizons of the carbonate mud during diagenesis. Its crystallization process is similar to the formation of spherulitic siderite: under the redtiction condition of diagenesis, free Sr(2+) combines with SO4(2-)to form dispersed SrSO4 molecules,which, with the intensification of diagenesis, transform into tiny colloidal spots and grow around the nucleus and along the a axis in the form of radiate aggregates that look like chrysanthemum in full bloom.