Abstract: The tepal epidermis of 20 samples,representing 11 species within Illicium Linn.(Illiciaceae),15 samples of 8 species belonging to Kadsura Kaempf. ex Juss.(Schisandraceae),and 17 samples of 6 species in Schisandra Michaux. (Schisandraceae),were investigated using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Several characters of tepal epidermis of the three genera in Illiciales,such as patterns of epidermal cells,shapes and distributing of secretory cells,types and distributing of stomatal apparatus,and cuticular ornamentations,were reported for the first time. Two new characters,stomata cluster and cyclotytic stomata,are introduced. The previous studies reported the correlations between the character of outer stomatal rims on leaf epidermis and the habit in Illiciales: single outer stomatal rims occured in deciduous species and double ones only in evergreen species. In this study,all the outer stomatal rims on tepal epidermis in Illiciales are single,different from those on leaf epidermis. Therefore,it is considered that the outer stomatal rims on tepal epidermis and the outer stomatal rims on leaf epidermis are not interrelated. Neither is the latter nor the habit. The characters of tepal epidermis are constant whether the tepals grow in bisexual,male or female flowers,which means this character does not relate with flower sex. Comparing the characters of tepal epidermis among Illicium,Kadsura and Schisandra,it is indicated that Schisandra has more derived characters than Kadsura,and so does Kadsura than Illicium. Additionaly,the similarity,of tepal epidermis between Kadsura and Schisandra,is greater than that between Kadsura and Illicium. Therefore,it seems reasonable to establish Schisandraceae including genera Kadsura and Schisandra,and Illiciaceae only containing the single genus Illicium.

Key words: Illicium Linn., Kadsura Kaempf. ex Juss., Schisandra Michx., tepal epidermis