The genus Sorocea was established by AUG. DE SAINT HILAIRE (1821) in a study about the unequality of the cotyledons but he did not describe a species nor did he cite specimens. GAUDICHAUD’s study (1844) gives only figures not accompanied by descriptions. The first publication with well-described and illustrated species of which the type-specimen is also well-perserved is MIQUEL’s treatment (1853) in Martius Flora Brasiliensis. Balanostreblus, described and figured by KURZ (1873) is known only from a cultivated specimen in the Calcutta herbarium and is undoubtedly conspecific with Sorocea guilliminiana. Three of the four Pseudosorocea species described by BAILLON (1875) belong also to Sorocea.