[1][2] The subgenus was first formally described by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in 1824, but the exact taxonomy has been changed frequently since then.

In 1848, Jules Émile Planchon reorganized the species into sections, series, and subseries.

George Bentham disagreed with Planchon's classification and so in 1864 he divided the genus into just two sections, with all tuberous species in sect.

Another reclassification occurred in 1977, when Larry Eugene DeBuhr added section Stolonifera, which was based on Planchon's subseries Stoloniferae.

Section Polypeltes is now known by the older autonym sect.