Abstract: The Chinese drug Longdan, Radix Gentianae, is a well-known drug. It has been used for clearing up evil heat from liver and gall-bladder and removing damp-heat from lower parts of the body in Chinese traditional medicine, and as a bitter stomachic in modern medicine.The authers made a survey of the drug Longdan available in drug markets as well as the plant origin in the drug producing districts in China. The result revealed that the drug Longdan used in different regions in China at present are derived from nine plant species belonging to the Sections Pneumonanthe, Frigida and Stenogyne of the genus Gentiana, viz. Gentiana manshurica Kitag., G. manshurica Kitag. ssp. jiandeensis J. P. Luo et Z. C. Lou(ssp. nov.), G. scabra Bunge, G. triflora Pall. (all belong to Section Pneumonanthe), G. rigescens Franch., G. cephalantha Franch,. G. suffrutescens J. P. Luo et Z. C. Lou (sp. nov.), G. atuntsiensis W. W. Sm. (all belong to Section Frigida) and G. rhodantha Franch. (Section Stenogyne), including anew species and a new subspecies. The diagnostic characters of the above species were studied. The morphology of their underground organs (e. g. the number and size of buds, the shape and growing mode of roots and rhizomes) and histology of leaves were found to be of significance for the identification of the plants.