(1) A taxonomical revision is given for the genus Hosta (Liliaceae) in Japan with special reference to external morphology. The important taxonomic characters treated are the flowering time, the color of the inner surface of perianth, the distribution of translucent lines in the perianth, the texture and arrangement of the bracts before and at flowering, the shape of the leaves, the nature of the leaf nerves on the lower surface, the reduction in distance between leaf nerves, distribution and habitat. (2) Fifteen wild species are enumerated from Japan and the intrageneric affinities among them are traced based on the evolutionary trends of the features concerned.
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