Abstract:Examinations of literatures and specimens in herbaria have shown that three Chinese species of the genus Cladrastis Raf. (Leguminosae), viz. C. parvifolia C. Y. Ma, C. scandens C. Y. Ma and C. chingii Duley & Vincent, are conspecific with C. platycarpa (Maxim.) Makino, a species distributed widely in China and Japan. C. parvifolia is here treated as a variety, namely C. platycarpa var. parvifolia (C. Y. Ma) Z. Q. Song, D. X. Xu & S. J. Li, comb. et stat. nov., while C. scandens and C. chingii are reduced to new synonyms of C. platycarpa. Finally, The taxonomic position and the geographic dispersal of the speices were discussed.
