A revision of the genus Tripterygium (Celastraceae)

To better understand the genus Tripterygium for the Flora of China, the history of the genus and its species is summarized and characters traditionally used to divide the genus re-examined. Because no reliable differentiating characters were found, all of the previously named taxa in the genus are reduced to the single species, Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f. The range of this monospecific genus is typical of many in the East Asian flora.