《Flora of China》（中国植物志英文修订版）全书共 45 卷，含 22 卷文本、22 卷图集，以及绪论卷，系统记载了中国境内已知的所有维管植物。志中收录的类群涵盖中国本土原生植物、归化植物，亦包含农作物、人工栽培林木等具有重要经济价值的外来引种植物。每卷文本卷均配有对应的《中国植物志图集》卷，图集为对应文本卷中平均 64% 的物种绘制了详细的线条图，本书文末附全套 45 卷的出版信息一览表。
第一卷为《Flora of China》的收官卷，全书总计 45 卷。其中 22 卷文本卷的出版信息如下：第 17 卷（1994 年）、第 16 卷（1995 年）、第 15 卷（1996 年）、第 18 卷（1998 年）、第 4 卷（1999 年）、第 24 卷（2000 年）、第 8 卷（2001 年）、第 6 卷（2001 年）、第 9 卷（2003 年）、第 5 卷（2003 年）、第 14 卷（2005 年）、第 22 卷（2006 年）、第 13 卷（2007 年）、第 12 卷（2007 年）、第 11 卷（2008 年）、第 7 卷（2008 年）、第 25 卷（2009 年）、第 10 卷（2010 年）、第 23 卷（2010 年）、第 19 卷（2011 年）、第 20-21 卷（2011 年）、第 2-3 卷（2013 年）。
与之配套的 22 卷《Flora of China Illustrations》出版信息如下：第 17 卷（1998 年）、第 16 卷（1999 年）、第 15 卷（2000 年）、第 18 卷（2000 年）、第 4 卷（2001 年）、第 24 卷（2002 年）、第 8 卷（2003 年）、第 6 卷（2003 年）、第 9 卷（2004 年）、第 5 卷（2004 年）、第 14 卷（2006 年）、第 22 卷（2007 年）、第 13 卷（2008 年）、第 12 卷（2008 年）、第 11 卷（2009 年）、第 7 卷（2009 年）、第 25 卷（2010 年）、第 10 卷（2011 年）、第 23 卷（2012 年）、第 19 卷（2012 年）、第 20-21 卷（2013 年）、第 2-3 卷（2013 年）。
本志科级类群的排序整体沿用《中国植物志》（FRPS）体例，采用经修订的恩格勒分类系统，将单子叶植物置于卷册末尾；部分科的界定则结合当前植物类群的研究认知予以调整。例如，本志将睡菜科与龙胆科独立分列，未予合并；而将千屈菜科、石榴科、海桑科合并为千屈菜科。属、种级类群的编排方式，或依分类学体系排序，或按检索表中的出现顺序排列，偶亦采用字母顺序编排。
本志对植物类群的记述层级覆盖科至种及种下等级，亚科、族、亚族、亚属、组、系等中间分类等级，虽对菊科、风毛菊属等大型科、属的分类研究具有重要参考价值，在本志中仅酌情使用。除属级以上类群仅标注名称外，所有接受名均同步标注命名人、文献引证及异名；各收录类群均附形态描述，同时注明其下级分类单元数量及世界地理分布。种下等级仅收录亚种与变种，不涉及变型；本志所用检索表均为二歧缩进式，且多为人为检索表。
志中异名考订基于对东亚主要植物志所载接受名及异名的细致核校：属级异名收录文献中通用的名称，种及种下等级仅收录主要异名，尤其侧重周边国家植物志中所载异名，所有以中国产植物为模式的名称均悉数收录。异名的完整文献引证仅标注基原异名与替代异名，其余异名仅标注命名人；基原异名与替代异名列于其他异名之前，其余异名按字母顺序排列。编者已对所有名称的命名地位、拼写、命名人及文献引证进行尽可能的核实，东亚主要植物志及中国地方植物志中无效发表的名称、误用的名称，均未列入异名，相关问题均在注释中予以说明；不同编者对类群界定的争议点，亦统一在注释中标注。
除无相关标本可供参考的情况外，本志所有形态描述均以中国产植物为依据，单个类群的描述篇幅一般不超过 130 词。科级类群的描述后，均标注该科的属、种数量与地理分布，通常还附相关注释，包括与《中国植物志》（FRPS）对应记述的参照信息。若某物种在中国分布有多个种下等级，先对物种本身作完整形态描述，再仅列出各下级类群的鉴别特征；若某物种在中国仅分布 1 个种下等级，则直接在该种下等级项下作完整描述。物候期的花期（fl.）、果期（fr.）均以月份英文前三个字母标注具体月份。
形态测量数据的标注遵循以下规则：单一数值仅表示长度；同时标注长、宽时，格式为长 × 宽；数值范围以半角连接号（–）分隔；同一类群内的不连续性状以 “or” 连接；特殊测量数值或性状状态加圆括号（）标注，仅适用于中国境外标本的相关信息则加方括号 [ ] 标注。
中国境内的分布信息以省级行政区为单位，按拼音字母顺序排列，具体为：安徽、北京、重庆、福建、甘肃、广东、广西、贵州、海南、河北、黑龙江、河南、湖北、湖南、江苏、江西、吉林、辽宁、内蒙古、宁夏、青海、陕西、山东、上海、山西、四川、台湾、天津、新疆、西藏、云南、浙江。若类群在广东省无分布，亦会标注其在香港、澳门特别行政区的分布；同理，仅当类群在河北省无分布时，标注北京、天津的分布；仅当在江苏省无分布时，标注上海的分布。本卷环衬页附中国省级行政区地图，分布信息可辅以方位前缀细化，包括中（C）、东（E）、北（N）、南（S）、西（W）及复合方位（如西北 NW、南中 SC）。中国特有类群在生境与分布段落开头以圆点符号（?）标注；分布范围极窄的类群，其具体分布地加圆括号标注，且具体地名仅标注至县级或山名（如天山）；海拔高度均取整至百位。
中国境外的分布信息加方括号 [ ] 标注，按字母顺序排列，仅明确列出中国邻国及印度以东的热带亚洲国家，包括阿富汗、孟加拉国、不丹、柬埔寨、东帝汶、印度、印度尼西亚、日本、克什米尔、哈萨克斯坦、朝鲜、吉尔吉斯斯坦、老挝、马来西亚、蒙古、缅甸、尼泊尔、巴基斯坦、巴布亚新几内亚、菲律宾、俄罗斯、新加坡、斯里兰卡、塔吉克斯坦、泰国、土库曼斯坦、乌兹别克斯坦、越南。若分布范围超出上述国家，则标注泛域分布范围，包括非洲、西亚、澳大利亚、欧洲、北美洲、太平洋诸岛、南美洲。
种及种下等级的描述末尾，均尽可能标注体细胞染色体数，加星号（*）表示该染色体数基于中国产植物标本检测得出；属级描述末尾可酌情标注染色体基数。
在异名、形态描述的性状状态、分布地前加问号（？），表示相关信息尚待进一步核实。
《中国植物志》中每一个收录类群均赋予唯一的中文名称，名称后附汉语拼音标注。各卷文末均设置三类索引，分别为中文名称索引、汉语拼音索引、学名索引。
植物命名人的姓氏均采用全称；当同姓命名人需以首字母区分时，沿用布鲁米特与鲍威尔在《植物命名人索引》（英国皇家植物园邱园，1992 年版）及其在线更新补编（http://www.ipni.org/ipni/authorsearchpage.do）中公布的首字母缩写形式（若无则不标注）。本志不使用拉丁语缩写 “f.” 表示 “子”，而是直接标注其子代命名人的首字母（如标注为 J. D. Hooker，而非 Hook. f.）；仅当父子命名人姓名完全相同时例外（如 Linnaeus 与 Linnaeus f.）。
期刊名称的缩写遵循布里德森所著《植物学期刊索引（第二版）》（BPH-2，2004 年版）；书籍名称的缩写遵循斯塔弗鲁与考恩所著《分类学文献索引（第二版）》（TL-2，1976–1988 年版）及其补编。未列入上述两部工具书的书籍与期刊，其缩写形式均参照《植物学期刊索引（第二版）》附录的规范要求。
The Flora of China is published in 45 volumes: 22 volumes of text, 22 volumes of illustrations, and this introductory volume. It accounts for all known vascular plants of China. The taxa treated in the Flora include all native and naturalized plants, as well as economically important exotics, such as crops or plantation plants. Each text volume is accompanied by a volume of the Flora of China Illustrations, which provides detailed line drawings of on average 64% of the species treated in the corresponding text volume. A list of the 45 published volumes is provided at the end of this book.
Volume 1 is the concluding volume of the Flora of China. There are now 45 volumes altogether. The 22 text volumes were published as follows: vol. 17 (1994), vol. 16 (1995), vol. 15 (1996), vol. 18 (1998), vol. 4 (1999), vol. 24 (2000), vol. 8 (2001), vol. 6 (2001), vol. 9 (2003), vol. 5 (2003), vol. 14 (2005), vol. 22 (2006), vol. 13 (2007), vol. 12 (2007), vol. 11 (2008), vol. 7 (2008), vol. 25 (2009), vol. 10 (2010), vol. 23 (2010), vol. 19 (2011), vol. 20–21 (2011), and vol. 2–3 (2013).
The 22 corresponding volumes of the Flora of China Illustrations were published as follows: vol. 17 (1998), vol. 16 (1999), vol. 15 (2000), vol. 18 (2000), vol. 4 (2001), vol. 24 (2002), vol. 8 (2003), vol. 6 (2003), vol. 9 (2004), vol. 5 (2004), vol. 14 (2006), vol. 22 (2007), vol. 13 (2008), vol. 12 (2008), vol. 11 (2009), vol. 7 (2009), vol. 25 (2010), vol. 10 (2011), vol. 23 (2012), vol. 19 (2012), vol. 20–21 (2013), and vol. 2–3 (2013).
The Flora generally follows the same sequence of families as in Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae (FRPS), i.e., a modified Englerian system that treats the monocotyledons last. However, the circumscription of some families reflects the present understanding of the groups. For example, the Menyanthaceae and Gen- tianaceae are both recognized, instead of combining them as the Gentianaceae, whereas the Lythraceae, Pun- icaceae, and Sonneratiaceae are combined as the Lythraceae. Genera and species are arranged taxonomically or in the order in which they appear in the keys, or occasionally alphabetically.
Taxonomic treatments are presented from the level of family to species and infraspecific ranks. Although intermediate ranks (e.g., subfamily, tribe, subtribe, subgenus, section, series) are useful in the taxonomy of certain large families (e.g., Asteraceae) and genera (e.g., Saussurea), they are used only sparingly. Accepted names are cited with authors, bibliographic citations, and synonyms, except above the rank of genus when only the name is cited. Each recognized taxon has a description as well as an indication of the number of sub- ordinate taxa and the distribution worldwide. For infraspecific taxa, either subspecies or varieties are recognized. Forms are not treated. All keys are dichotomous, indented, and generally artificial.
The synonymy given is based on close examination of accepted names and synonyms listed in major East Asian floras. At the generic level, synonyms widely used in the literature are included. At the specific and in- fraspecific levels, only the main synonyms, especially those listed in the floras of neighboring countries, are included. All names based on Chinese material are included. The complete bibliographic citation of synonyms is given only for basionyms or replaced synonyms of accepted names; only the authors’ names are provided for other synonyms. The basionym or replaced synonym of an accepted name is listed before other synonyms, which are arranged alphabetically. As far as possible, the nomenclatural status of names, their spellings, au- thorship, and bibliographic citations have been verified. Names not validly published or names misapplied in major East Asian and local Chinese floras are not included in synonymy. Discussions relating to such names are dealt with as notes. Differences of opinion among authors in the circumscription of taxa are mentioned as notes.
Except where no material was available to the authors, all descriptions are based on Chinese plants. Normally, the description of a given taxon does not exceed 130 words. Descriptions of families are followed by the number of genera and species, distribution, and usually other comments, including reference to FRPS ac- counts. If a species is represented in China by more than one infraspecific taxon, a full description is provided for the species, and only diagnostic features are listed under the infraspecific taxa. If only one infraspecific taxon of a species occurs in China, a full description is given under the infraspecific taxon. Flowering (fl.) and fruiting (fr.) times are usually given by month using the first three letters of the month.
If a single measurement is used, it indicates length. When both length and width are used, the measure- ments are given as length × width. A range of measurements is separated by an en-dash (–). Discontinuous states within a taxon are separated by the word “or.” Exceptional measurements or character states are in parentheses ( ) or, when applicable only to material from outside of China, in brackets [ ].
The distribution in China is given at the provincial level, listed alphabetically as follows: Anhui, Beijing, Chongqing, Fujian, Gansu, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Hu- nan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanghai, Shanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Tianjin, Xinjiang, Xizang, Yunnan, and Zhejiang. Distributions may also include the special districts of Hong Kong and Macau, but only if the taxon is absent from Guangdong Province. Similarly, Bei- jing and Tianjin are listed only if the taxon is otherwise absent from Hebei Province, and Shanghai is listed only if the taxon is otherwise absent from Jiangsu Province. The provincial map is provided on the front- and endpapers of this volume. The distributions are sometimes modified by using the directions C(entral), E(ast), N(orth), S(outh), W(est), or intermediate directions, e.g., NW, SC. A taxon endemic to China is marked with a bullet (?) at the beginning of the paragraph on habitat and distribution. Where a taxon is very local, the exact distribution may be given in parentheses. However, localities are not given below the level of xian (equivalent to county) or mountain (e.g., Tian Shan). Elevations are rounded off to the nearest 100 m.
The distribution by country, continent, or area is given alphabetically in brackets [ ] for taxa extending beyond China. Only the countries adjacent to China are explicitly listed, as well as the other countries of trop- ical Asia from India eastward. These include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kashmir, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thai- land, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam. When the distribution extends beyond these countries, a gen- eralized range (including Africa, SW Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, the Pacific islands, and South America) is given.
Whenever available, somatic chromosome numbers are included at the end of descriptions of specific and infraspecific taxa; an asterisk (*) indicates counts made from Chinese material. Basic chromosome numbers may be included at the end of descriptions of genera.
A question mark (?) placed immediately before a synonym, character state in a description, or territory within a distribution indicates that confirmation is required.
Each recognized taxon in the Flora of China has one Chinese name, followed by its pinyin transliteration. Three indexes are included at the end of each volume: one for Chinese plant names, another for the pinyin transliterations, and the third for scientific names.
The family names of authors of plant names are written out in full. When it is necessary to use initials to differentiate authors who have the same family name, the initials (if any) of the abbreviation published by Brummitt and Powell in Authors of Plant Names (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 1992) and its continuously updated online supplement (http://www.ipni.org/ipni/authorsearchpage.do) are used. The abbreviation “f.” is not used for the Latin filius, but the son’s initials are used (e.g., “J. D. Hooker” rather than “Hook. f.”), except when the names of the parent and descendant are identical (e.g., “Linnaeus” and “Linnaeus f.”).
Abbreviations of periodicals are according to Bridson’s BPH-2 (Botanico-Periodicum-Huntianum, ed. 2; Pittsburgh: Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation, 2004), and abbreviations for books follow Stafleu and Cowan’s Taxonomic Literature, ed. 2 (TL-2; Utrecht/Antwerpen: Bohn, Scheltema and Holkema; The Hague/ Boston: dr. W. Junk b.v., 1976–1988) and its supplements. Books and periodicals not included in these two works are abbreviated according to the recommendations in the Appendix of BPH-2.
