Abstract: The Cathaysia flora, which mainly flourished during the Permo-Carboniferous time in East Asia, has been held consistently in geology and palaeontology at home and abroad. About the "Cathaysia flora", as a scientific term, on the bases of reviewing its coures of change and development as well as the current studies situation, the writers of this paper point out that it should be inadvisable to enlarge its meaning to refer the flowering flora that has been developed since Triassic.

Key words: Cathaysia flora, Permo-Carboniferous