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Dr. Ishwar Prakash Sharma
(Scientist-C)
Herbal Research Department
Patanjali Research Institute, Haridwar, Uttarakhand
International Code of Nomenclature
for algae, fungi, and plants
(ICN)
• ICN is the set of rules and recommendations that govern
the scientific naming of all organisms traditionally
treated as algae, fungi, or plants, whether fossil or non-
fossil, including blue-green algae (Cyanobacteria),
chytrids, oomycetes, slime moulds, and photosynthetic
protists with their taxonomically related non-
photosynthetic groups.
• Before 2011 it was called the International Code of
Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN).
• The ICBN was changed to the ICN at the International
Botanical Congress (IBC) in Melbourne, Australia in July
2011 as part of the Melbourne Code.
o XIX International Botanical
Congress (IBC), which took
place in Shenzhen, China in July
2017.
o Shenzhen Code supersedes the
Melbourne Code (McNeill & al.
in Regnum Veg. 154. 2012),
published after the XVIII IBC in
Melbourne, Australia in 2011.
o Published on
o 26 June 2018 (printed
version).
o 27 June 2018 (electronic
version)
Shenzhen Code (2017)
https://www.iapt-taxon.org/nomen/main.php
 Algae, fungi, and plants are the
organisms covered by
this Code
 The Principles form the basis of
the system of nomenclature
governed by this Code
 Names that have been
conserved, protected, or
rejected, suppressed works,
and binding decisions are given
in Appendices I–VII
 The International Code of
Nomenclature for Cultivated
Plants is prepared
 This edition of
Preamble
PRINCIPLE I- The nomenclature of
algae, fungi, and plants is
independent of zoological and
prokaryotic nomenclature.
PRINCIPLE II- The application of
names of taxonomic groups is
determined by means of
nomenclatural types.
PRINCIPLE III- The nomenclature of
a taxonomic group is based upon
priority of publication.
PRINCIPLE IV- Each taxonomic
group with a particular
circumscription, position, and rank
can bear only one correct name, the
earliest that is in accordance with the
rules, except in specified cases.
PRINCIPLE V- Scientific names of
taxonomic groups are treated as Latin
regardless of their derivation.
1. kingdom
(regnum)
2. division or
phylum
(divisio or
phylum)
3. class (classis)
4. order (ordo)
5. family
(familia)
6. genus (genus)
7. species
(species)
hybrid taxa
(nothotaxa)
1. tribe (tribus)
2. section
(sectio)
3. series (series)
4. variety
(varietas)
5. form (forma)
11
Kingdom
Subkingdom
Division or Phylum
Subdivision or Subphylum
Class
Subclass
Order
Suborder
Family
Subfamily
Tribe
Subtribe
Genus
Subgenus
Section
Subsection
Series
Subseries
Species
Subspecies
Variety
Subvariety
Form
Subform
Principle Rank-
7
Secondary
Rank- 5
Sub Rank-
12
Division II. Rules and
Recommendations
Class cl.
Order ord.
Family fam.
Tribe tr.
Genus gen.
Subgenussubg.
Section sect.
Series ser.
Species sp.
Subspecies subsp.
Variety var.
Form f.
Nothospecies nothosp.
Division II. Rules and
Recommendations
1. Effective
publication
2. Valid
publication
3. legitimate
or
illegitimate
4. Combinatio
n
5. Autonyms
6. gen. nov.,
sp. nov.
7. nom. nov.
Division II. Rules and
Recommendations
1. The application of names of taxa at the rank
of family or below is determined by means
of nomenclatural types
2. A nomenclatural type (typus) is that
element to which the name of a taxon is
permanently attached, whether as the
correct name or as a synonym
3. A new combination or a name at new rank
(Art. 6.10) is typified by the type of the
basionym
4. A replacement name (Art. 6.11) is typified
by the type of the replaced synonym even
though it may have been applied
erroneously to a taxon now considered not
to include that type
5. The type of an autonym is the same as that of the name from which it is derived
6. A name of a taxon assigned to a group with a nomenclatural starting-point later than 1
May 1753 (see Art. 13.1) is to be typified by an element selected from the context of its
valid publication
7. For purposes of priority (Art. 9.19, 9.20, and 10.5), designation of a type is achieved only
by effective publication
1. The type (holotype, lectotype, or
neotype) of a name of a species or
infraspecific taxon is either a single
specimen conserved in one herbarium
or other collection or institution, or a
published or unpublished illustration
2. A specimen may be mounted as more
than one preparation, as long as the
parts are clearly labelled as being part
of that same specimen, or bear a single,
original label in common.
3. Type specimens of names of taxa must
be preserved permanently and may not
be living organisms or cultures
4. The type, epitypes (Art. 9.9) excepted,
of the name of a fossil-taxon at the rank
of species or below is always a
specimen
1. Holotype
2. Isotype
3. Syntype
4. Paratype
5. Lectotype
6. Neotype
7. Epitype
Division II. Rules and
Recommendations
1. Each family or lower-ranked taxon with a
particular circumscription, position, and rank can
bear only one correct name. Special exceptions are
made for nine families for which alternative names
are permitted
1. Compositae (nom. alt.: Asteraceae; type: Aster L.)
2. Cruciferae (nom. alt.: Brassicaceae; type: Brassica L.)
3. Gramineae (nom. alt.: Poaceae; type: Poa L.)
4. Guttiferae (nom. alt.: Clusiaceae; type: Clusia L.)
5. Labiatae (nom. alt.: Lamiaceae; type: Lamium L.)
6. Leguminosae (nom. alt.: Fabaceae; type: Faba Mill. [= Vicia L.])
7. Palmae (nom. alt.: Arecaceae; type: Areca L.)
8. Umbelliferae (nom. alt.: Apiaceae; type: Apium L.)
9. Papilionaceae (nom. alt.: Fabaceae; type: Faba Mill.)
When the Papilionaceae are regarded as a family distinct from the remainder of
the Leguminosae, the name Papilionaceae is conserved against Leguminosae.
2. A name has no priority outside the rank at which it is published (Art.
53.3)
3. For any taxon from family to genus, inclusive, the correct name is the
earliest legitimate one with the same rank, except in cases of limitation
of priority by conservation or protection (sArt. 14 and F.2) or
where Art. 11.7, 11.8, 19.4, 56, 57, F.3, or F.7 apply
4. For any taxon below the rank of genus, the correct name is the
combination of the final epithet of the earliest legitimate name of the
taxon
5. An autonym is treated as having priority over the name(s) of the same
date and rank that upon their valid publication established the autonym
(Art. 22.3 and 26.3)
6. For purposes of priority, names given to hybrids are subject to the same
rules as are those of non-hybrid taxa at equivalent rank
A name of a taxon has no status under this Code unless it is
validly published
• Valid publication of names for organisms
of different groups is treated as beginning
at the following dates
eg. MUSCI, 1 January
1801 (Hedwig, Species muscorum
frondosorum)
ALGAE, 1 May 1753 (Linnaeus, Species
plantarum, ed. 1)
• Conservation aims at retention of those
names that best serve stability of
nomenclature
• The application of both conserved and
Publication is also effected by distribution
on or after 1 January 2012 of electronic
material in Portable Document Format
(PDF; see also Art. 29.3 and Rec. 29A.1)
in an online publication with an
International Standard Serial Number
(ISSN) or an International Standard Book
Number (ISBN).
The date of effective publication is
the date on which the printed
matter or electronic material
became available as defined in Art.
29 and 30.
International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN)