AbstractTaxonomy ofCinnamomumSchaeff. of Lauraceae remains problematic because recent phylogenetic studies have suggested that this genus is not monophyletic. In this study, we assembled three sequence matrices including plastomes (datamatrix I), nrITS sequences alone (datamatrix II), and nrITS plus plastidpsbA‐trnH sequences (datamatrix III) of theCinnamomum‐Ocoteacomplex of Lauraceae and conducted a new phylogenetic study with thusfar the most extensive species sampling of theCinnamomum‐Ocoteagroup. We determined that the Old WorldCinnamomumis diphyletic: sect.CamphoraMeisn. is sister toSassafrasJ.Presl and sect.Cinnamomumis sister to the AfricanKuloaTrofimov & Rohwer. A recent study indicated that characters of leaf micromorphological anatomy can define the two clades: one possessing reticulate periclinal and the other having non‐reticulate periclinal walls. As result, we divided the genusCinnamomumof Lauraceae into two genera, i.e.,CinnamomumandCamphoraFabr. The generic nameCinnamomumis retained for those species mainly having reticulate periclinal epidermal cell walls, inconspicuous non‐perulate terminal buds and usually tripliveined leaves; the oldest generic name,Camphora, is applied to the second group which contains those species mainly possessing non‐reticulate periclinal epidermal cell walls, prominent perulate terminal buds and pinnately‐veined leaves. A census of the species and their type specimens listed underCinnamomumin Asia resulted in the transfer of 18 species toCamphora, including 15 new combinations.