2020年中国共发表高等植物新分类群359个, 其中新属21个、新种312个、新亚种6个、新变种14个、新变型6个; 发表新组合(等级) 217个, 新名称11个; 发表国家级新记录48个; 将85个名称处理为65个名称的异名; 对14个名称进行了应用订正; 新指定后选(新)模式物种147个; 还新发现多年未曾发现的物种2个, 排除物种分布3个。新发表的物种中, 苔类植物门有3个、藓类植物门3个、蕨类植物门6个、裸子植物门1个新杂交种、被子植物门299个。这些新物种中, 有86个发表的同时提供了详细的分子证据, 78个在发表时就依据IUCN标准被评估处于受威胁的状态。云南、西藏、广西和四川等西南4省区发表新物种最多, 占全国新物种发表总数的2/3; 新物种发现密度最高的省级行政单位是云南、海南、台湾、广西和浙江等省区; 墨脱县是新物种发现数量最多的县级行政单位。2020年中国高等植物净新增294个分类群, 占全国总数的0.79%, 313个高等植物名称发生变动, 占全国总数的0.84%。

Aim: China has the richest and most diverse flora in the northern hemisphere, with more than 37,098 accepted species of higher plants throughout its vast territory. Each year more than 200 new species from China have been described, but these data have not been updated in international databases expediently. To meet this need, it is necessary to produce an annual report on new taxa, name changes, and latest statuses of higher plants in China.

Methods: We collected information about new taxa and name changes for Chinese higher plants by searching 231 journals and books and 405 articles published in 66 journals and 2 books. We compiled the information and checked the scientific name, author, location, type specimen, and additional relevant information for each species.

Results: In 2020, a total of 359 new taxa of higher plants described from China were reported, including 21 new genera, 312 new species, 6 new subspecies, 14 new varieties, and 6 new forms, as well as 217 new combinations and names at new ranks and 11 new replacement names. In addition, 48 plants were new records for China, 85 names were determined as synonyms of 65 taxa, 14 names were revised, lectotypes or neotypes were designated for 147 names, 2 species were rediscovered, and 3 species were excluded from China. These newly described species belong to Marchantiophyta (3 species), Bryophyta (3 species), Pteridophyta (6 species), Gymnospermae (1 new nothospecies), and Magnoliophyta (299 species). A total of 86 new species were published with detailed molecular evidence, and 78 new species were evaluated as threatened species according to IUCN standards. Four southwestern provinces, including Yunnan, Xizang, Guangxi, and Sichuan, were the most important sources of new discoveries, accounting for two thirds of the total number of new species published in China. Yunnan, Hainan, Taiwan, Guangxi, and Zhejiang had the highest density of newly discovered species.

Conclusions: In 2020 in China, a net of 294 (0.79% of the total number) new plant taxa were recorded and 313 (0.84% of the total number) plant names were changed. 2020 was undoubtedly a fruitful year in plant taxonomic research, with the largest increase in the number of species discovered, the number of taxonomic revisions made, and the number of articles published on Chinese higher plants since 2000.