Abstract: 【Objective】 Styrax tonkinensis is a species with functional uses as timber and biodiesel. Research on the seedling growth characteristics of different families had an important role for exploring and breeding high-quality germplasm resources. 【Method】 The growth characteristics of one-year-old and two-year-old seedlings, such as the height, basal diameter, and dry weight, of 40 different S. tonkinensis families from Jishui County, Jiangxi Province were studied and analyzed preliminarily. 【Result】 The results showed that the height of one-year-old seedlings ranged from 66.71 to 90.02 cm with an average of 81.52 cm. The basal diameter ranged from 11.27 to 18.13 mm, with an average of 16.06 mm. The dry weight ranged from 27.07 to 146.41 g, with an average of 80.79 g. The height of two-year-old seedling ranged from 120.07 to 175.64 cm, with an average of 156.52 cm. The basal diameter ranged from 17.19 to 25.28 mm, with an average of 21.31 mm. The dry weight ranged from 112.20 to 415.99 g, with an average of 274.90 g. A significant positive correlation between one-year-old and two-year-old seedlings was found through a correlation analysis of growth characteristics. All germplasm resources of S. tonkinensis could be clustered into three groups according to the principal component analysis. 【Conclusion】 Based on the seedling growth characteristics and principal component analysis, eight pedigrees(15, 16, 22, 23, 31, 32, 33 and 37)of S. tonkinensis germplasm were recognized relatively more distinctively. In detail, the height, basal diameter, and dry weight of one-year-old seedlings were more than 76.78 cm, 15.84 mm, and 76.16 g, respectively.The height, basal diameter, and dry weight of two-year-old seedlings were more than 153.72 cm, 20.79 mm, and 246.19 g, respectively.