Abstract: 1. In the present paper 77 species of the genus Chirita are recognized from China. While accepting the classification con-structed by Wood (1974) and his sectional alignment for the time being, I attempt to give a putative interpretation to the affinities between the three large groups of this genus. The first, Sect. Gibbosaccus, retaining more primitive characters, may be regarded as the primitive one and the second, Sect.Chirita, distinguished from Sect. Gibbosaccus principally by its synsepalous calyx and larger stigma, is more advanced. On the other hand, the third group, Sect. Microchirita, being mono-carpic and having epiphyllous inflorescences and anthers cohe-rent at apex by a small appendage, is somewhat remote phy-logenetically from the other two and may represent an ano-ther evolutionary line. In addition, the important morpholo-ical characters are discussed and the infra-sectional subdivi-sion of Sect. Gibbosaccus and Sect. Chirita is made. A conspec-tus of the classification for the 77 Chinese species is given as follows.Sect. 1. Gibbosaccus. Herbs perennial, seldom annual, acaules-cent, seldom caulescent. Cyme not epiphyllous. Sepals free, seldom connate. Anthers fused face to face, exappendicula-te. Stigma small.Subsect. 1. Sinenses. Herbs perennial, acaulescent. Leaves more or less pubescent, ovate, elliptic or oblong, seldom linear.Ser. 1. Swinglianae. Corolla tube infundibuliform-tubular or campanulate. Filaments irregular. Stigma undivi-ded. (sp. 1-10).Ser. 2. Medicae. Corolla tube infundibuliform-tubular. Fi-laments regular. Stigma 2-lobed. (sp. 11-13).Ser. 3. Fimbrisepalae. Corolla large or moderate in size, with tke tube infundibuliform-tubular. Filaments irre-gular. Stigma 2-lobed. (sp. 14-48).Ser.4. Sinenses. Allied to the preceding series, differing in the bilocular ovary with the lower chamber reduced and sterile. (sp. 49).Ser. 5. Pinnatifidae Allied to the preceding series, differing in the pinnately lobed leaves. (sp. 50).Ser. 6. Pinnatae. Allied to Ser. Sinenses and Ser. Pinnati-fidae, differing in the pinnate leaves. (sp. 51).Ser. 7. Shennungjiaenses. Small herbs. Leaves small. Corol-la moderate in size or small, with the tube tubular or cylindric. Filaments often regular. Stigma 2-lobed or 2-fid, seldom undivided. (sp. 52-56).Ser. 8. Hedyotideac. Leaves narrow-oblong. Sepals conna-te. Corolla small. Filaments subregular. Stigma 2-10-bed. (sp. 57).Subsect. 2. Spinulosae. Herbs perennial, offen acaulescen with ligneous robust rhizomes. Leaves glabrous, linear, remotely spinulose-denticulate at margin. Corolla small. Stigma 2-lobed. (sp. 58-59).Subsect. 3. Cicatricosae. Herbs perennial or annual, caules-cent. Leaves opposite or alternate, ovate or elliptic, pubescent. (sp. 60-62).Sect. 2. Chirita. Allied to the preceding section, differing in the connate sepals and larger stigma.Subsect. 1. Briggsioides. Herbs perennial, acaulescent. Flo-wers arranged in pedunculate cyme. Stigma 2-lobed or 2-fid. (sp. 63-67).Subsect. 2. Urticifoliae. Herbs perennial, seldom annual, caulescent. Leaves opposite, seldom alternate. Flowers arranged in pedunculate cyme. Stigma 2-lobed or 2-fid, seldom undivided.Ser. 1. Urticifoliae. Bracts free. Filaments not tumid. (sp. 68-74).Ser. 2. Infundibuliformes. Bracts connate into a wide-infun-dibuliform involucre Filaments tumid at the middle part. (sp. 75).Subsect. 3. Fasciculiflorae Herbs perennial, caulescent. Lea-ves 3-4 pairs conferted at the stem apex. Flowers axillary. Stigma undivided. (sp. 76).Sect. 3. Microchirita. Herbs mostly annual, caulescent. Cyme epiphyl1ous. Anthers coherent by a small appendage at the apex. Stigma small, 2-fid (sp. 77). 2. The genus Chirita, containing about 120 species, occur in the warm parts of southeastern Asia. Wood (1974) designated southern China and Vietnam, eastern Himalayas to western China, and Thailand and Vietnam as the centres of distribu-tion of Sect. Gibbosaccus, Sect. Chirita and Sect. Microchiritarespectively.