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Plant nomenclature

This document provides an overview of plant nomenclature and the rules for scientific naming of plants according to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN). It discusses key concepts such as scientific names, binomial nomenclature, types, ranks, valid publication, synonyms, and correct names. The document is intended as an educational guide for those interested in learning about the standards for assigning and determining scientific names of plant taxa.

Education◦
Plant Nomenclature National workshop on Grass Systematics Sharad Suresh Kambale Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, Maratha Vidya Prasarak Samaj’s Arts, Commerce & Science College, Tryambakeshwar, Nashik- 422212. Email: skambalesu@gmail.com Contact no.: 09623127314
Nomenclature? Giving names to plants, algae and fungi. How we give names to plants? International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN) (Earlier International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, ICBN) What we can name by using ICN? Land plants, "algae," and fungi (+slime molds, water molds)
Scientific name?  The names assigned by the rules of the ICN  In Latin language Usually italicized or underlined, or bolded  E.g., Hubbardia, Jansenella, Apluda
Binomials E.g., Themeda pseudotremula Potdar, Salunkhe & S.R.Yadav Themeda = genus name (capitalized) pseudotremula = Themeda pseudotremula = species name Potdar, Salunkhe & S.R.Yadav = authors Linnaeus: consistently used binomials specific epithet (not capitalized)
Basic Concepts and Terms  Name vs. Taxon  Gathering and specimen  Description and diagnosis  Protologue
Legitimate Names: in accordance with the rules of the ICN  Illegitimate Names: violate one or more rules of the ICN  Homonyms  Isonyms  Circumscription  Tautonyms = a heterotypic synonym, based on a different type ≡ a homotypic synonym, based on the same type
ICN Governs two basic activities: 1) Naming new taxa 2) Determining the correct name for previously named taxa
Principles of Plant Nomenclature 1) Botanical nomenclature is independent of Zoological and Bacteriological nomenclature. 2) The application of botanical names is determined by means of nomenclatural types. 3) Botanical nomenclature is based upon priority of publication.
4) Each taxon of a particular circumscription, position, and rank can have only one correct name, the earliest in accordance with the rules. [=Fundamental Principle!] 5) Scientific names are treated as Latin. 6) The rules and regulations of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature are retroactive.
Why not Common names? 1) Scientific names are universal, used the same world-wide. 2) Common names are not consistent. a) A taxon may have more than one common name (e.g Woodbine, Morning Glory for Ipomoea) b) One common name to more than one taxon (e.g., “Salai” (Konkani) for Aporosa lindleyana and Ehretia indica). 3) Common names tell nothing about rank; scientific names do. 4) Many, if not most, organisms have no common name in any language.
Rank? Hierarchical classification in which a higher rank is inclusive of all lower ranks. Position? Placement of a taxon as a member within particular genus or species E.g., Apluda & Cyperus of same rank (genus) but different positions (Poaceae & Cyperaceae)
What are the ranks? Kingdom (various) Plantae Phylum [Division] -phyta Magnoliophyta Subphylum [Subdivision] -phytina Magnoliophytina Class -opsida Magnoliopsida Subclass -idae Asteridae Superorder -anae, [-iflorae] Asteranae Order -ales Asterales Suborder -ineae Asterineae Family -aceae Asteraceae Subfamily -oideae Asteroideae Tribe -eae Heliantheae Subtribe -inae Helianthinae Genus (various) Helianthus Subgenus (various) Helianthus Section (various) Helianthus Species (various) Helianthus annuus Subspecies (various) Helianthus annuus ssp. annuus Variety (various) Helianthus annuus var. annuus
Rank Endings Order -ales Gentianales Family -aceae Gentianaceae Subfamily -oideae Gentianoideae Tribe -eae Gentianeae Subtribe -inae Gentianae Genus (various) Gentiana Subgenus (various) Gentiana Section (various) Gentiana Species (various) Gentiana indica Subspecies (various) Gentiana indica ssp. indica Variety (various) Gentiana indica var. sikkimensis
What is the rank of: Poideae subfamily Poaceae family Hubbardeae tribe Asteridae subclass Eulalia shrirangii var. shrirangii variety Magnoliopsida class Magnoliophyta phylum Ranales order Poa genus Hubbardia diandra species Dichanthium annulatum subsp. annulatum subspecies
Alternate Family/Subfamily Names Apiaceae = Umbelliferae Arecaceae = Palmae Asteraceae = Compositae Brassicaceae = Cruciferae Fabaceae = Leguminosae Faboideae = Papilionoideae Clusiaceae = Guttiferae Lamiaceae = Labiatae Poaceae = Gramineae
Ternary names? subspecies or variety name (both are infraspecific names) E.g., Arisaema sahyadricum var. ghaticum ( ghaticum = varietal epithet) Ceropegia longifolia subsp. sinensis (sinensis = subspecies epithet)
Authorship? the name of the person who first validly published the name Poaceae Barnhart Pooideae Benth.  Sorghum Moench Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench Author names often abbreviated: Eg. L.= Linnaeus; Benth. =Bentham
Easiest way to learn scientific names Learn the etymology (meaning). Mangifera Moringa Apluda Themeda Man Kai (in Tamil) and fera: bearing Moringo: Malyalam Latin apluda is for chaff or bran. Nature of involucres Arabic thaemed for grass.
Usually herbarium specimen . Permanently associated with a name. Holotype - primary specimen upon which a name is based, designated at the time of publication. Isotype - duplicate of the holotype, collected at the same time by the same person from the same place. Lectotype - selected from the original material to serve as the type when holotype not available. Neotype - specimen derived from a non-original collection that is selected to serve as the type. Nomenclature type?
Type: Ceropegia candelabrum L. (Sp. Pl. 211. 1753.)
Type specimen of Ceropegia mannarana P. Umam. & P. Daniel Type: INDIA. Tamil Nadu; Tirunelveli district, Gulf of Mannar coast, Uvari, 18 Nov. 1995, S. A. Muthukumar 106332 (CAL! Isotype MH!)
Ceropegia angustifolia Wight, Contr. Bot. India 31. 1834 Lectotype: (vide Kambale & Yadav, 2014: 27-28): BANGLADESH, Silhet, s.d. N. Wallich Wall. asclep. n. 13. K (K000894290), photo!; syntypes E and K (photo!)
Syntype: When no holotype designated or more than one type designated Isosyntype: Duplicate of Syntype Paratype: Specimen cited in Protologue other than holotype/isotype Original material: Syntype, paratype, holotype and isotype Epitype: Specimen/illustration selected to serve as interpretative type What is type of Homo sapiens L.? Homo sapiens L. 1758. Systema Naturae Linnaeus
Source: The Code Decoded, Page no. 65. The typification Flow Chart:
Types exist for all ranks up to family Hubbardia diandra L. Chandore 31 Ceropegia candelabrum L. is the type for the genus Ceropegia L. Genus Poa is the type for family Poaceae Borkh.
What is a priority of publication? When and with what publication begin? Nomina familiarum conservanda Nomina generica conservanda et rejicienda Nomina species conservanda Species Plantarum by Linnaeus in 1753 (with exceptions) Name published first is the legitimate one How to correct?
Simple exercise 1. Desmodium scorpiurus (Sw.) Desv. ex DC. -- Prodromus 2. 1825 (APNI) 2. Desmodium scorpiurus (Sw.) Desv. ex DC. -- Prodr. [A. P. de Candolle] 2: 333. 1825 [mid Nov 1825] 3. Desmodium scorpiurus (Sw.) Desv. -- Mém. Soc. Linn. Paris 4: 306. 1826 ; isonym 4. Desmodium scorpiurus (Sw.) Poir. -- Dict. Sci. Nat., ed. 2. [F. Cuvier] 13: 110. 1819 (GCI) Correct: Desmodium scorpiurus (Sw.) Poir. -- Dict. Sci. Nat., ed. 2. [F. Cuvier] 13: 110. 1819 (GCI)
Simple exercise 1. Mimosa diplotricha C.Wright var. inermis (Adelb.) H.B.Naithani Fl. Pl. India, Nepal & Bhutan 134, isonym. 1990 (IK) 2. Mimosa diplotricha C.Wright var. inermis (Adelb.) Alam & Yusuf Bangladesh J. Bot. 21(1): 55, isonym. 1992 (IK) 3. Mimosa diplotricha C.Wright var. inermis (Adelb.) Verdc. Kew Bull. 43(2): 360. 1988 [11 Jul 1988] (IK) 4. Mimosa diplotricha C.Wright var. inermis (Adelb.) Veldkamp Fl. Males. Bull. 9(4): 416. 1987 [Nov 1987] Correct: Mimosa diplotricha C.Wright var. inermis (Adelb.) Veldkamp Fl. Males. Bull. 9(4): 416. 1987 [Nov 1987]
1. Ceropegia brevitubulata Bedd. 1874. 2. Brachystelma beddomei Hook.f. 1883 3. Brachystelma brevitubulatum Gamble 1921
Two reasons for name change? 1) Name contrary to the rules (illegitimate). 2) Additional research has changed definition and delimitation of a taxon.
NEW Research: Phylogenetic studies may demonstrate at taxon to be non-monophyletic
Four major ways that names are changed? United Divided Changed in rank Changed in Position
Names may be united: Name changes: E.g., Sarcostemma and Cynanchum (Apocynaceae) have been united into one genus, Cynanchum Sarcostemma Cynanchum
Name may be divided: E.g., Cleome (Cleomaceae) split into Cleome, Corynandra, and Cleoserrata Name changes: Cleome Corynandra Cleoserrata
Name may be changed in position: Name changes: E.g., Ceropegia brevitubulata transferred to the genus Brachystelma. The new species Brachystelma brevitubulatum. Brachystelma brevitubulatum.
Name changes: E.g., Ceropegia biflora changed to rank of variety: Ceropegia candelabrum var. biflora Ceropegia candelabrum Ceropegia candelabrum var. biflora
What is a basionym? The “name bearing” name. The original (possibly now rejected) name, part of which (the epithet) has been used in a new combination. Person(s) who named basionym. Retained! Author(s) in parentheses?
Basionym E.g., Clerodendrum serratum was transferred to the genus Rotheca by Steane & Mabberley, new species name is: Rotheca serrata (L.) Steane & Mabb. [Note: Volkameria serrata L. is the basionym] Pogostemon deccanensis (Panigrahi) Press (Eusteralis deccanensis Panigrahi =basionym)
What is an autonym? Automatically created name for infrafamilial, infrageneric, and infraspecific taxa. Created when taxa are divided. Assigned based on priority of publication. Autonyms have no authors.
Autonyms: E.g., Ceropegia bulbosa Roxb. Ceropegia bulbosa Roxb. var. bulbosa Ceropegia bulbosa Roxb. Var. lushii (Graham) Hook.f. Apluda mutica L. var. mutica Apluda mutica var. major (Hack.) R.K. Jain
What are the main criteria of valid publication? 1) Name must be effectively published = in a journal generally available to botanists As of 1 Jan 2012: Electronic material published online in Portable Document Format (PDF) with an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) or an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) will constitute effective publication
What are the main criteria of valid publication? 2) Name must be published in the correct form, properly Latinized with the correct rank ending. 3) Name must be published with a Latin description or diagnosis or with a reference to such. [Vernacular description typically included.] As of 1 Jan 2012: A description or diagnosis may be in either Latin or English.
What are the main criteria of valid publication? 4) Rank must be indicated (e.g., “sp. nov.,” “subsp. nov.,” or “var. nov.”) 5) Nomenclatural type must be indicated (for genus and below).
How to validate the invalid names?
What is a synonym? = a rejected name, by a particular author or authors. Synonyms usually indicated in brackets; e.g., Brachystelma brevitubulatum (Bedd.) Gamble[Ceropegia brevitubulata Bedd.] 1) because illegitimate. 2) because of taxonomic judgment. Why rejected?
Two types of synonyms: E.g., Brachystelma brevitubulatum (Bedd.) Gamble [Ceropegia brevitubulata Bedd.] 1) Homotypic (nomenclatural) – based on the same type specimen E.g., Andrographis beddomei C.B. Clarke 1884 [Andrographis nallamalayana J.L. Ellis(1967)] 1) Heterotypic (taxonomic) – based on a different type specimen
Andrographis beddomei C.B.Clarke Andrographis nallamalayana J.L. Ellis
What is a correct name? A legitimate (and therefore validly published) name that is accepted by a particular author or authors. Each taxon can have only one correct name. How can a name be legitimate but not correct? There may be 2 (or more) alternative, legitimate names. Only one of these can be correct (in any given work).
What is a homonym? = synonym identical to accepted, correct name. E.g.: Vicia gigantea Hook., 1831 [Vicia gigantea Bunge,1833] = binomial in which genus and specific epithets are identical in spelling. Tautonyms are not permitted by the ICN! E.g., Themeda themeda would be a tautonym and illegitimate. Ziziphus zizyphus (L.) H. Karst. (Jujube) is not a tautonym and is permitted. What is a tautonym?
Abbreviations: "in" = "in the publication of” Amorphophallus commutatus var. anshiensis Punekar in Punekar and Lakshminarasimhan. "ex" = "validly published by.” comb. nov. (combinatio nova) means a new nomenclatural combination E.g., Decalepis khasiana (Kurz) Ionta ex Kambale May be abbrev.: Decalepis khasiana Kambale
Abbreviations: s.l. (sensu lato) means “in the broad sense” E .g. Apocynaceae s.l. s.s. or s.str. (sensu stricto) means “in the narrow sense” E.g. Asclepiadaceae s.s. E.g., Boraginaceae s.l. includes the families Hydrophyllaceae, Ehretiaceae, Heliotropaceae, Cordiaceae, and others Boraginaceae s.s. does not (those families are separate)
Abbreviations "x" = a hybrid. E.g., Salvia x palmeri (A. Gray) Greene = S. apiana x S. clevelandii. "sp. nov." = species novum E.g., “Aponogeton bruggenii sp. nov." "cf." = confer, meaning "compare.” E.g., "Calyptridium cf. monandrum” (meaning check this specimens of species for confirmation) aff. (affine) means “related to”
auct. non (auctorum non) means “not of these authors,” referring to a “misapplied” name, such that the type specimen of the name does not fall within the circumscription of the taxon being referred to by that name emend. (emendatio) means a correction or amendment et is Latin for “and” sp. nov. (species nova) means a new species gen. nov. (genus novum) means a new genus nom. nov. (nomen novum) means a new name, e.g., proposed as a substitute for an older name (e.g., an illegitimate homonym, in which case the older name serves as the type for the new one) nom. nud. (nomen nudum) means published without a description or diagnosis, making the name invalid.
non is Latin for “not” nom. cons. (nomen conservandum) means a conserved name stat. nov. (status novus) means a change in rank, e.g., elevating a varietal name to specific status typ. cons. (typus conservandus) means a conserved type specimen typ. des. (typus designatus) means the designation of a type specimen vide (video) means to cite a reference X indicates a hybrid ! (symbol for vidi, “I have seen it”) can mean a) a confirmation of a name, as on an annotation label agreeing with the name on the original herbarium label; or b) indication that a specimen (usually a type) has been seen by the author in a publication Eg. Chandore 3031 K!, BM!
n. v. (non visus) is Latin for “not seen,” typically meaning that authors did not see a specimen, such as a type. orth. cons. (orthographia conservanda) means a conserved spelling
Gender of the generic names: General rule "-us" ending: masculine: Phaseolus, Helianthus, Hibiscus, "-a”, “is”, “es”, ending: feminine: Rosa, Brassica, Oryza, Carota, Coffea. Aerides, etc. "-um" ending: neuter: Triticum, Coriandrum, Psidium Exceptions: 1) The "-ma" ending generic names of Greek origin may be neuter or feminine: e.g., Neuter: Abroma, Aneilema, Arisaema, Megastigma, Melastoma, Theobroma, Trema, Zygnema (alga) and Brachystelma Feminine: Hedeoma, Callicoma, Meliosma, Radiopalma and Ceropegia Note: Only adjectival epithets need to match their genders with the gender of the genus name.
Exercises on gender endings 1. Ceropegia manoharii Sujanapal, P.M.Salim, Anil Kumar & Sasidh. The epithet "manoharii" is NOT a Latin term (but is Latinized). 2. Barleria prattensis Santapau 3. Crinum pratense Herb. 4. Polygonum plebeium R. Br. var. indica (Heyne ex Roth) Hook. f. 5. Balanophora elkinsi Blatt. 6. Antidesma bunius Spreng. 7. Cymbopogon martini (Roxb.) Will.Watson 8. Enteropogon prieurii (Kunth) Clayton 9. Isachne borii Hemadri
11. Aerides multiflorum Roxb. 12. Aerides crispum 12. Dendrobium lawanum Lindl. 13. Brachystelma nallamalayana K.Prasad & B.R.P.Rao 14. Miliusa malnadense Page & Nerlekar 15. Ceropegia candelabrum L. Only the "-er" ending is treated as a vowel, and we add a single "i", e.g., alexander; "alexanderi" "-ar", "-ir", "-or", and "-ur" endings are treated as consonants. Therefore, we add 2 "i" 10. Sporobolus helvola T.Durand & Schinz
Correctable errors:
Epithet corrected to ‘malnadensis’
Can we change the code? Yes How?
State the genders of followings names 1.Dichanthium 2. Sporobolus 3. Dendrocalamus 4. Themeda 5. Apluda 6. Hubbardia 7. Spondiopogon 8. Tripogon 9. Coelachne 10. Isachne 11. Echinochloa 12. Heteropogon 13. Tripsacum 14. Trachys 15.Cymbopogon 16. Chloris
Nomenclatural Guru: Dr. K. N. Gandhi Sir Thank you!!!