Abstract: The floral morphogenesis of Coptis was observed under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The initiation of all floral organs of the genus is spiral, the petal primordia are slightly retarded, the developmental sequence of the stamens is centripetal,the carpel primordia are conduplicate (i.e., horse-shoe shaped), the ovaries are half closed and the ovary stalk is formed in the developmental process. In comparing the floral morphogenesis with that of other genera with T-type chromosomes in the family, we considered that Coptis contains some primitive characters. The results are consistent with molecular systematic studies showing Coptis as one of the basal groups of Ranunculaceae.