关键词: 山茶属, 系统大纲

Abstract: The genus Camellia is only distributed in the Eastern Asia and contained a lot of important eco-nomic plants. So far about 300 species have validly been published and have never been completely revised. Since 1989 the author has been closely involved with the revision of system and species of this genus. Linnaeus (1753) described 2 genera and 2 species ( Camellia japonica L. and Thea sinensis L.). Dyer (1874) reduced 2 sections under genus Camellia. After a synopsis of genus Camellia published by Cohen Stuart (1916), the number of species was raised to 38. Mechior (1925) divided Camellia into 3 genera (Piquetia, Stereocarpus and Camellia), in which genus Camellia included 5 sections (Eriandria, Calpandria, Eucamellia, Theopsis and Thea) and about 50 species. Nakai (1940) divided Camellia to 4 genera (Camellia, Camelliastrum, Thea and Theopsis) and about 59 species. J. R. Sealy (1958) reduced the above mentioned genera to genus Camellia and presented a taxonomic system of 12 sections and 82 species for the first time. After then. Prof. H. T Chang (1981 ~ 1996) published a new system of Camel-lia including 4 subgenera, 22 sections and about 300 species.

Key words: Camellia, Systematic synopsis