The genus Gynostemma B1. consists of 13 species and 2 varieties in the whole world,

among which 11 species and 2 varieties occur in China. They are distributed in S. Shaanxi

and the southern part of the Yangtze River (including Taiwan province) in China and also

in Korea, Japan, Sri Lanka, India and Malesia. Based on the characters and dehiscence of fruit, the genus Gynostemma B1. may be divided into two subgenera, i.e. Subgen. I. Gynostemma and Subgen. II. Trirostllum (Z. P. Wang et Q. Z. Xie) C. Y. Wu ct S. K. Chen,

comb. nov.

       1.  Subgenus Gynostemma. The fruits are baccate, globose, 3-umbonate and incorni

culate on the apical side, indehiscent when mature. The style apex in female flower is bifid.

      Type of subgenus: Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Mak.

      This subgenus contains 8 species and 2 varieties in the world, among which 6 speci-

es and 2 varieties occur in China, i.e.1.G. simplicifolium B1. (Yunnan, Hainan of Guang-

dong); 2. G. laxum (Wall.) Cogn. (S. Yunnan, Hainan of Guangdong and Guangxi); 3.

G. burmanicum King ex Chakr. (Yunnan), 3a. G. burmanicum var. molle C. Y. Wu (Yun-

nan); 4. G. pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Mak. (S. Shaanxi and the soutern area of the Yangtze

River of China), 4a. G. pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Mak. var. dasycarpum C. V. Wu (Yun-

nan); 5. G. pubescens (Gagnep.) C. Y. Wu, st. nov. (Yunnan); 6. G. longipes C. Y. Wu,

sp. nov. (endemic to China: Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Shaanxi and Guangxi).

      2.  Subgenus Trirostellum (Z. P. Wang et Q. Z. Xie) C. Y. Wu et S. K. Chen, comb.

nov.——Trirostellum Z. P. Wang et Q. Z. Xie in Acta Phytotaxonomia Sinica 19 (4):

483. 1981, syn. nov. The fruit are capsules, subcampanulate, 3-corniculate on the apical side, dehiscent when mature. The style apex in female flower is luniform and irregularly denticulate at margin, rarely bifid.

      Type of subgenus: Gynostemma cardiospermum Cogn. ex Oliv.