Three new genera and 196 new species have been discovered and published in academic journals, according to China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, which collected more than 1.5 million plant specimens in the fourth national survey of Chinese materia medica (CMM) resources.

　　The three new genera are Zhengyia, Tsaiodendron and Hsenhsua. The 196 new species belong to fungi, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms, and are distributed in 57 families and 114 genera.

　　The national survey project has organized experts in taxonomy and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to conduct demonstrations on these new taxa. Experts believe that the discovery of these new species will make an important contribution to the classification of biological resources in China and will enrich the TCM resources.

　　More than 60 percent of these species have potential medicinal or traditional Chinese medicine effects, according to the research published by the project team.