Abstract: As construed here the genus. Woodwardia Sm. does not include Anchistea Presl and Lorinseria Presl of the east North America which  are considered  as  distinct genera nor Woodwardia harlandii Hook. and W. kempii Cop. of south china, which constitute a new genus Chieniopteris Ching (cf. Acta Phytotax. Sinica 9:37. 1964). It has been proposed that genus Woodwardia Sm. is an old one, dating back perhaps from the early Tertiary in the Arctics, thence it spread to Europe, North America, and southward to East Asia with its present center of distribution in China, especially south of the Yangtze River.   The genus is now represented by 17 species in the Northern Hemisphere, of which ll are known in China and her neighbouring countries, with one species, W. unigem- mata (Makino) Nakai, ranging as far as the Himalayas, where from the previous re- cord of W. radieans Linn. Sm. of Europe proves to be a mistake for this species.   The genus is divided into two natural series: Radicantes Ching & Chiu and Egem- miferae Ching & Chiu, and the latter is further subdivied into 2 subseries: Orientales Ching & Chiu and Japonicae Ching & Chiu.   A key to the Chinese species has been provided.   In passing it may be pointed out that Woodwardia cochin-chinensis Ching (Bull. Fan Mem. Inst. Biol. 2: 7. 1931) is based upon Poilane nos. 2107 and 2275 without designating the type. According to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature we herewith designate Poilanes no. 2275 the type of this species.