Abstract: The subfamily Helleboroideae (Ranunculaceae) consists of 4 tribes，17 genera  and 885 species：Helleboreae (Caltha，12 species，Calathodes，3 species；Trollius，31 species；Megaleranthis，1 species；Beesia，2 species；Helleborus，15 species；Eranthis，8  species)，Cimicifugeae (Soulia，1 species；Anemonopsis，1 species；Cimicifuga，17 species；  Actaea，6 species)，Nigelleae (Komaroffia，2 species；Nigella，18 species；Garidella，2  species)，Delphineae (Aconitum，about 400 species；Delphinium，about 320 species；Consolida，46 species)．According to modern distribution of the genera，eight distribution patterns  of Helleboroideae are recognized：1)the North temperate distribution pattern：Trollius，   Cimicifuga，Actaea，Aconitum；2)the North temperate plus African distribution pattern： Delphinium；3)The Northern Hemisphere temperate and the Southern Hemisphere temperate disjunct pattern：Caltha；4)the Europe and eastern Asian disjunct pattern：Helleborus；  5)the Western Asian distribution pattern：Komaroffia；6)the Mediterranean distribution  pattern：Nigella，Garidella，Consolida；7)the Eurasian and temperate Asian distribution  pattern: Eranthis；8)the eastern-Asia endemic pattern：Calathodes，Megalderanthis，Beesia，Souli