Abstract:This paper has sorted out the species, habitats distribution and chemical composition of
snow lotuses and reviewed the research recently developed in chemical composition of Saussurea involucrate Kar. et. Kir., S. medusa Maxim, S. gossypiphora D. Don and other 3 species of snow lotuses. It was found that the chemical composition of the different snow lotuses growing in specific ecological environment were similar within the genus but with characteristic differences in the different species. This result furnished evidence to plant chemotaxonomy and provide a reference material for selecting the best quality plant material for cell culture.