The DNA methylation patterns and levels are depended on the function of DNA methyltransferase and DNA demethylase, and DNA demethylase plays a critical role in active DNA demethylation. In this paper, all homologous DNA demethylase gene copies were identified in monocots (O. sativa and S. bicolor) and dicotyledon (A.thaliana and P. trichocarpa) based on ten known DNA demethylase genes from rice and Arabidopsis. Two types of new DNA demethy-lase-like genes (DML4 and DML5) were identified. Tandem duplication, segmental duplication and whole genome duplica-tion exist in DNA demethylase gene family in plants, which result in neofunctionalization and subfunctionalization upon the phylogeny of conserved glycosylase domains and chromosomal locations of genes. Furthermore, the expression of DNA demethylase genes was investigated in different tissues. This study will facilitate our understanding of the relationship be-tween function and evolution of DNA demethylase, and utilizing the DNA demethylase genes in plants.