Abstract: Corydalis DC.is a largest genus in the family Fumariaceae, and large one of those that are distributed in North Temperate. Since this genus was established there has been no complete classification system and there have been a lot of disputes even in the nominator of the genus, the generic lectotype, subgeneric classifiction and so on. According to the study and arrangement of the type specimens or authentic materials from China and neighbouring countries of both S. & E. Asia and kept in both Chinese herbaria and important herbaria abroad, this paper has for the first time classified this genus into two groups, i.e. Corydalis and Pistolochia, and 40 sections that have constituted a complete and original evolutional systom.

Key words: Corydalis, Systematic evolution, Florogenesis, Floristic regionalization