安息香属是安息香科核心属，主要分布于亚洲和美洲，我国产约30种，其中15种为特有种。由于前人对该属的分类处理过度依赖标本检查，缺乏深入的野外考察和实验室研究，对很多形态性状的变异式样和幅度缺乏真正理解，我国的安息香属还存在大量的分类学问题，如名实混乱、疑难种的界定困难以及属下系统关系不清等。本项目拟在文献考证、标本研究的基础上，进行居群水平的野外调查，并采用多种实验室研究手段，深入挖掘该属潜在的有分类学价值的性状，综合多方面研究结果，分析和评价各性状的分类和系统学价值，重建国产安息香属的系统发育关系，最终全面完成该属种级水平的分类修订。安息香属植物花朵素雅美丽，并且一些种具有悠久的药用历史，澄清其分类学问题也是我们合理保护、开发和利用该属植物资源的前提。

Styrax is the core member of Styracaceae, mainly distributed in Asia and the New World, with about 30 species being recognized in China and half of which are endemic. Due to the excessive dependence on specimens research and lack of in-depth field investigation and laboratory studies, a poor understanding of the variation patterns and ranges of many morphological traits in the genus in China, many basic taxonomic problems, such as confusion of the identity of species, difficulty in defining taxonomically difficult species and some species are still problematic as to their systematic position, remain unsolved in the genus. On the basis of literature research and specimens examination, this project intends to conduct field survey at population level, use various laboratory research methods to dig out the potential taxonomic-value of both macro- and micro-morphological characters of the genus, analyze and evaluate their taxonomic and systematic value, reconstruct the phylogenetic relationship of the Chinese Styrax, and finally complete the taxonomic revision of the genus at species-level. As the flowers of Styrax are elegant and beautiful, and some species have a long medicinal history. Clarifying the taxonomic problems is also a prerequisite for our rational protection, development and utilization of the plant resources of the genus.