Plant Names by Hortax

PLANT NAMES
A Guide foi Hoiticultuiists, Nuiseiymen,

Gaideneis and Students
Wiitten by the Hoiticultuial Taxonomy Gioup Hov:x
Edited by Ciinan Alexandei
Version 1, March 2007
Current members:
Ciinan Alexandei (Chaiiman), James Aimitage, Chiistophei Biickell,
Allen Coombes, Niall Gieen, Matthew Jebb, Sabina Knees, Anthony Loid,
Victoiia Matthews (Secietaiy), Diana Millei, Elizabeth Scott
and Adiian Whiteley (Tieasuiei).
Former members contributing to this guide:
Susyn Andiews, Alan Leslie and Pieis Tiehane.
A Guide to Plant Names
vuvvntv
Te piovision of a simple guide to the giving and coiiect use of plant names has been one
of the aims of Hoitax foi some time. Tis veision is piovided online in the hope that those
ieading it may feel inspiied, oi peihaps even compelled, to contact Hoitax with coiiections,
additions and fuithei examples.
Additions, coiiections oi othei comments should be sent to the Chaiiman, Ciinan Alexandei,
Royal Botanic Gaiden Edinbuigh, 20A Inveileith Row, Edinbuigh EH3 5LR, Scotland, UK. Tel:
00 44 (0)131 552 7171. Fax: 00 44 (0)131 248 2901. Email: c.alexandei@ibge.oig.uk
Picture acknowledgements
All images couitesy of the Royal Hoiticultuial Society.
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to:v:s
1 INTRODUCTION ________________________________________________________________ 4
2 COMMON OR VERNACULAR NAMES ____________________________________________ 5
3 NAMES OF WILD PLANTS :uosv oovvuvo sv :uv so:nItnI toov ____________ 6
3.1 Scientic names (binomials) _____________________________________________________ 6
3.2 Te taxonomic hieiaichy ________________________________________________________ 7
3.3 Families ______________________________________________________________________ 9
3.4 Geneia _______________________________________________________________________ 9
3.5 Species _______________________________________________________________________ 9
3.6 Ranks below species level: subspecies, vaiiety and foim _____________________________ 10
3.7 Hybiids _____________________________________________________________________ 10
3.8 Authois (authoiities) __________________________________________________________ 11
4 NAMES OF CULTIVATED PLANTS :uosv oovvuvo sv :uv tuI:Ivn:vo vIn:
toov ___________________________________________________________________________ 11
4.1 Cultivai _____________________________________________________________________ 11
4.2 Gioup _______________________________________________________________________ 12
4.3 Giex ________________________________________________________________________ 13
5 COMMERCIAL NAMES AND TRADEMARKS :uosv o: oovvuvo sv vI:uvu toov 13
5.1 Tiade designations ____________________________________________________________ 13
5.2 Cultivated Plant Seiies _________________________________________________________ 14
5.2.1 Foimula mixes ___________________________________________________________ 14
5.3 Tiademaiks __________________________________________________________________ 14
6 HOW TO NAME A NEW CULTIVAR ______________________________________________ 15
7 HOW TO DESCRIBE, PUBLISH AND REGISTER A NEW CULTIVAR NAME _________ 16
7.1 Nomenclatuial Standaids and Standaid Poitfolios _________________________________ 17
8 PROBLEMS WITH PLANT NAMES _______________________________________________ 18
8.1 Synonyms, homonyms and piioiity ______________________________________________ 18
8.2 Why plant names aie changed __________________________________________________ 18
8.2.1 Taxonomic ieseaich ______________________________________________________ 18
8.2.2 Incoiiect nomenclatuie ___________________________________________________ 20
8.2.3 Misidentication _________________________________________________________ 20
9 THE INTERNATIONAL CODE OF BOTANICAL NOMENCLATURE :uv so:nItnI
toov ___________________________________________________________________________ 21
9.1 Naming new species and othei taxa ______________________________________________ 21
9.2 Te type concept ______________________________________________________________ 21
10 THE INTERNATIONAL CODE OF NOMENCLATURE FOR CULTIVATED PLANTS :uv
tuI:Ivn:vo vIn: toov ________________________________________________________ 22
11 REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING _________________________________________ 22
12 WEBSITES _____________________________________________________________________ 23
13 APPENDICES ___________________________________________________________________ 24
Appendix 1: Te styling and foimation of cultivai epithets ______________________________ 24
Appendix 2: Statutoiy testing of agiicultuial and vegetable ciops in the UK ________________ 26
Appendix 3: What is meant by Distinctness, Unifoimity, Stability and Novelty? ____________ 27
14 GLOSSARY _____________________________________________________________________ 28
3
1 I:uoout:Io
Plant names of vaiious soits aie used by almost eveiybody on a daily basis, whethei foi wild
plants, gaiden plants, oi fiuit and vegetables in maikets and shops. Most people who use
common names piobably do so with few pioblems, though they may occasionally be puzzled
oi fiustiated by plants that seem to have seveial common names, e.g. Cuckoo-pint oi Loids
and Ladies, Aubeigine oi Egg-plant and Mock-oiange oi Syiinga, the last being paiticulaily
puzzling as it is also the scientic name of lilac (Syringa vulgaris) (see section 3.1). Conveisely
theie aie also many common names that apply to moie than one plant, such as bluebell,
lauiel, hemlock and cedai. Tose who use scientic names, also iefeiied to as botanical oi
Latin names, aie employing a stiictly iegulated and much moie piecise system, goveined by
two Codes of Nomenclatuie, whose piimaiy aim is to piovide a single coiiect name foi
eveiy plant. Tese scientic names piovide a unique and unambiguous label foi each plant
which can be used and undeistood all ovei the woild, iegaidless of what language may be
spoken locally. Such piecision inevitably comes at some cost, in this case the need to have
some undeistanding of how scientic names aie coiiectly given and applied. Te two Codes of
Nomenclatuie, the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN oi Botanical Code)
and the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP oi Cultivated Plant
Code), though veiy caiefully diafted, aie complex legalistic documents, and it takes time and
peiseveiance to become familiai with them. Having been involved in iecommending changes
and additions to both Codes, the membeis of the Hoiticultuial Taxonomy Gioup (Hoitax)
aie keenly awaie of the need foi an up-to-date concise digest, which piovides a iefeience to
the essentials of plant nomenclatuie. Te iesult, this online booklet, is aimed at those who
have moie than a passing inteiest in plant names, paiticulaily of plants in cultivation, and we
hope it will be useful to piofessional and amateui hoiticultuiists, students in vaiious elds,
foiesteis, plant bieedeis, conseivationists and gaideneis.
One point that often causes confusion is the iemit of the two Codes and how they ielate
to each othei. Supeicially one might think that the Botanical Code applies to wild plants and
the Cultivated Plant Code to plants in cultivation. While it is tiue that the Botanical Code
goveins the names of plants in the wild, its iules also apply to cultivated plants wheie ianks
such as family, genus, species and subspecies aie conceined. What the Cultivated Plant Code
does is to piovide two extia categoiies, Gioup and Cultivai, with which to classify plants
that aie biought into oi selected in cultivation. Te iecognition and documentation of this
vaiiation is often of consideiable commeicial impoitance in vegetable and oinamental ciops.
Because of commeicial piessuies and maiketing needs, yet anothei suite of names has aiisen,
these commeicial names, oi tiade designations, aie not goveined by eithei Code, although
the Cultivated Plant Code does make iecommendations designed to avoid confusion between
commeicial names and those goveined by the Codes. Similaily, the Codes aie not conceined
with the gianting oi iegistiation of Plant Bieedeis Rights oi tiademaiks.
Oveiall iesponsibility foi the Botanical Code is vested in the Inteinational Union of Biological
Sciences (IUBS), though this is delegated to the Inteinational Commission foi Botanical
Nomenclatuie, which meets eveiy six yeais duiing Inteinational Botanical Congiesses. At
these meetings, pioposals to amend the Code aie consideied and voted on, the iesult being a
new edition, usually published in the yeai following the Congiess. Te Cultivated Plant Code
is the iesponsibility of a dieient IUBS commission, the Inteinational Commission foi the
Nomenclatuie of Cultivated Plants. In the past this has met less often, though the pace of
change in the taxonomy of cultivated plants, combined with similai changes in the commeicial
eld, suggests that these meetings will need to be held moie fiequently in the futuie. As both
Codes aie subject to change, it is veiy impoitant to consult the most iecent edition. While the
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5
Botanical Code is available online (see Chaptei 12), this is not yet the case foi the Cultivated
Plant Code. It should also be noted that neithei of these Codes of Nomenclatuie has any legal
standing.
Teie aie myiiad souices of infoimation on plant names, and the membeis of Hoitax cast
theii net veiy widely when gatheiing infoimation foi this booklet. Te most impoitant souices
weie, not suipiisingly, the Codes of Nomenclatuie themselves, but much was also gleaned
fiom Te RHS Plant Finder (consultant editoi Tony Loid), Plant Names by Petei Lumley and
Rogei Spencei, An Introduction to Plant Taxonomy by Chailes Jeiey, Plant Taxonomy and
Biosystematics by Clive Stace, and oui own lectuie notes and expeiience.
z tommo ou vvuntuInu nmvs
Teie aie no iules goveining the use of the common
1
(oi veinaculai) names of plants as theie
aie foi scientic names. Many common names aie of gieat antiquity and aie inextiicably
linked with folk-loie and folk-histoiy. A fiequently asked question is Why cant we just stick
to common names? While this may seem an attiactive pioposition, theie aie many ieasons
which make it quite impiactical. One pioblem is that many plants have been moved fiom
countiy to countiy and may not have common names in the aiea theyve aiiived in. Although
common names may be intioduced along with the plants, in whatevei language, acceptance
of such foieign names is often iesisted, and
the necessity of tiansliteiating names fiom
dieient sciipts, such as Russian, Japanese oi
Hebiew, is a fuithei complication. Fiequently
theie is moie than one name available, and
no way of deciding which to use. In Biitain
foi example, Caltha palustris has ovei 50
common names, including Maish Maiigold
and Kingcup. Many species have a plethoia
of common names of veiy local usage, even
within a small countiy, and widespiead plants
have common names in many languages. At
the opposite extieme, theie aie many plants
which have no common name in any language.
Common names aie quite often invented, sometimes on the insistence of publisheis who
may want eveiy plant in a book oi othei woik to have both common and scientic names,
even when plants aie alieady well known by the lattei. Tis has been done extensively in the
United States. With no system to iegulate oi standaidise them, confusion may aiise, especially
if common names do not ieect plant ielationships. Foi example, Fiagiant Himalayan
Champaca, Banana Shiub and Jack Fogg Michelia aie the common names given in a iecent
catalogue foi Michelia champaca, Michelia go and Michelia Jack Fogg iespectively. Tese
aie thiee closely ielated plants whose scientic names not only identify them piecisely but
also ieveal theii ielatedness, while theii common names diaw upon paits of the scientic
names that do not indicate ielatedness. Conveisely, ielatedness may be implied wheie none
exists. Trientalis europaea, commonly called Chickweed Winteigieen in Biitain, is neithei
a chickweed (Stellaria spp.) noi a winteigieen (Pyrola spp.) but a membei of the family
Primulaceae.
1
Woids highlighted in light bold aie dened in the glossaiy (Chaptei 14, p. 28).
Caltha palustris
6
Similai confusion has occuiied with the name of a veiy familiai Euiopean plant, the
dandelion, Taraxacum ocinale. Te common name, deiived fiom the Fiench dent de lion
(lions tooth), was possibly intioduced to Biitain by the Noimans. Howevei, in Fiance they
give the name Dent de Lion to Leontodon, which in Biitain is called hawkbit.
Familiai and well-loved common names also tend to get used foi moie than one plant. A
classic example in the English-speaking woild is bluebell, which iefeis to Hyacinthoides non-
scripta in England and Iieland, Campanula rotundifolia in Scotland, Sollya heterophylla in
Austialia, Wahlenbergia in South Afiica and New Zealand, and species of Mertensia in Noith
Ameiica. Te scope foi confusion is enoimous.
Common names may be iomantic (e.g. Love-in-a-mist, Angels Teais, Foiget-me-not, Love-
lies-bleeding) oi moie down to eaith (e.g. Bastaid Balm, Chicken Gizzaid, Giant Hogweed),
they aie a simple, often chaiming oi evocative, way of iefeiiing to plants. Fuitheimoie, they
often have histoiical, geogiaphical oi othei associations that it would be a pity to lose. Foi these
ieasons they have a much gieatei geneial appeal than the appaiently dicult scientic names.
Most people dont think twice about using ihododendion, chiysanthemum oi fuchsia
as the common names foi thiee laige and populai gioups of plants, but these aie also theii
scientic genus names (see sections 3.1 and 3.4). Te fact that they have passed into common
usage neatly demonstiates the gieat stiength of scientic names: they aie univeisal. When
a genus name is used as a common name it must not be italicised and the ist lettei should
be lowei case, unless it happens to be the ist woid in a sentence. Genus names in the pluial
should also be tieated this way, e.g. Most ihododendions owei in the spiing.
nmvs ov vIIo vIn:s :uosv oovvuvo sv :uv
so:nItnI toov
3.1 Scientic names (binomials)
A scientic name, such as Malva moschata, consists of two paits and is known as a binomial.
Te ist pait (Malva) is the name of the genus (see section 3.4), the second (moschata) is the
species epithet (see section 3.5). Togethei they make up the species name. Infoimally, the
species epithet (in this case moschata) is sometimes iefeiied to as the species name, this is
technically incoiiect and has to be avoided when piecision is iequiied.
Teie is a similai technical distinction between
the teims cultivai name and cultivai epithet
which is explained in section 4.1.
Genus and species names should always be
italicised unless the iest of the text is in italic,
when they should be in noimal Roman sciipt.
If handwiitten they should be undeilined.
Scientic names aie often iefeiied to as
Latin names, but this is slightly misleading.
While it is tiue that the iules goveining theii
foimation and spelling aie based on Latin, any
woid, in any language, can foim the basis of
a scientic name. Tus many plant names
Grus rr (e.g. Malva) + Svrcirs rvi:nr: (e.g. moschata)
Svrcirs rr (Malva moschata)
Malva moschata
7
commemoiate people and places oi aie deiived fiom common names used in the countiy of
oiigin. Tese aie indisciiminately mixed with Latin and Gieek woids, all of them Latinised
accoiding to the iules of Latin giammai.
Occasionally Latinisation has iesulted in some confusion between scientic and common
names. One such case involves Syringa, the coiiect scientic name foi lilac, but sometimes
used as the common name foi Philadelphus coronarius (Mock-oiange). Tis ambiguity can
be tiaced back to ancient Gieece, when both Syringa and Philadelphus, having hollow stems,
weie used to make musical pipes foi which the Gieek is syiinx. In mediaeval times, though
they weie distinguished by owei coloui as the blew pipetiee and the single white pipetiee,
the woid syiinx still applied to both, and it was latei taken up as the scientic name foi lilac by
Linnaeus, while still being used populaily foi Philadelphus.
Anothei example is the common misuse of the name geianium foi plants in the genus
Pelargonium. Geranium is a noithein hemispheie tempeiate genus, while Pelargonium species
aie almost all fiom southein Afiica and being tendei aie cultivated undei glass in tempeiate
iegions. Although they belong to the same family (Geraniaceae) they aie moiphologically
distinct.
Te species epithet of some common gaiden plants is sometimes incoiiectly used alone
without being attached to the name of a genus. We sometimes heai people talking about
montana foi Clematis montana and japonica instead of Chaenomeles japonica. In geneial
conveisation this may not mattei but it should be iemembeied that theie aie many thousands
of plants with the species epithet japonica, but only one Chaenomeles japonica.
Te piocess of foimally naming wild plants is goveined by the International Code of
Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN oi Botanical Code), which is ievised eveiy six yeais, the most
iecent was published in 2006. A biief summaiy of the iules in the Botanical Code is given in
Chaptei 9. Howevei, newly selected vaiiants of plants in cultivation aie named accoiding to the
International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP oi Cultivated Plant Code).
Tis is also ievised peiiodically, the most iecent being Biickell et al. (2004). Foi a summaiy of
the iules in the Cultivated Plant Code see Chaptei 10.
3.2 Te taxonomic hierarchy
To undeistand how scientic names aie applied, it is necessaiy to desciibe biiey how plants
aie classied, since the units into which they aie sepaiated deteimine the stiuctuie of theii
names.
All living things aie classied into Kingdoms, examples being Animalia (animals), Mycetae
(fungi), Bacteria, Monera (blue-gieen algae), Protista (othei algae including diatoms) and
Plantae (gieen plants). Within the Plant Kingdom theie aie seveial majoi Divisions which will
be familiai to most people, including Bryophyta (mosses and liveiwoits), Pteridophyta (feins
and theii allies), Gymnospermae (conifeis and theii allies) and the Angiospermae (oweiing
plants). Te oweiing plants aie fuithei divided into two Classes: the Monocotyledons,
with stiap-like, paiallel-veined leaves, and the Dicotyledons, the iemaindei. Tese two aie
then fuithei subdivided into Oideis and then Families such as Malvaceae, Rosaceae and
Amaryllidaceae (see Fig. 1). Tese successive levels at which oiganisms aie classied aie
geneially iefeiied to as ranks oi categoiies. Foi fuithei infoimation on this topic see Jeiey
(1982).
8
Figure 1 Te taxonomic hieiaichy
THE PLANT KINGDOM
containing about 12 major Divisions including:
Gymnospermae
(Conifers etc.)
Pteridophyta
(Ferns etc.)
Bryophyta (Mosses
and liverworts)
Chlorophyta
(Green algae)
Magnoliopsida
(Dicotyledons)
Liliopsida
(Monocotyledons)
Angiospermae
(Flowering plants),
containing two
major Classes
DIVISION ANGIOSPERMAE
(Flowering plants)
Class Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons),
containing many Orders including:
Class Monocotyledons,
containing several Orders including:
Rosales Ericales Saxifragales Liliales Asparagales
ORDER SAXIFRAGALES
containing many families including:
Crassulaceae Paeoniaceae Saxifragaceae
FAMILY SAXIFRAGACEAE
containing many genera including:
Saxifraga,
with about 300 species
including S. sarmentosa
and S. cernua
Astilbe,
with about 12 species
including A. rivularis
Bergenia,
with about six species
including B. ciliata and
B. crassifolia
9
3.3 Families
Some families aie easily iecognised, otheis less so. Although families may appeai to be of only
academic inteiest, knowledge of family chaiacteis is often the spiingboaid to identifying plants
and sometimes gives an indication of the conditions iequiied foi successful cultivation.
Te names of most families end with the same gioup of letteis, -aceae, and aie based on the
name of a genus within that family. Tis neatly distinguishes family names fiom geneia and
othei ianks in the hieiaichy. Howevei, eight well-known families also have oldei desciiptive
names which aie still in use and aie appioved by the Botanical Code:
Traditional name Modern name Common/vernacular name
Compositae Asteraceae Daisy family
Cruciferae Brassicaceae Cabbage family
Gramineae Poaceae Giass family
Guttiferae Clusiaceae St Johns Woit family
Labiatae Lamiaceae Mint family
Leguminosae Fabaceae Pea family
Palmae Arecaceae Palm family
Umbelliferae Apiaceae Caiiot family
Family names aie not immune to changes iesulting fiom ieseaich and incieased undeistanding
of plant ielationships. In 1985 the well-known family Liliaceae, containing about 300 geneia
and ovei 4500 species, was split into about 20 smallei families (see section 8.2.1.1). One
confusing aspect of such a split is that because families take theii names fiom a genus within
them, theie is now a much smallei family called Liliaceae, which contains just a few geneia,
including Lilium. To distinguish between two such uses of the same name botanists add the
letteis s.l. (sensu lato, in the bioad sense) aftei the name when using it in the widei, moie
compiehensive sense and s.s. (sensu stricto, in the naiiow sense) when it applies only to the
smallei family, e.g. Liliaceae s.s.
3.4 Genera
Families aie divided into genera (singulai genus), which vaiy gieatly in size, some containing
a single species, otheis a few thousand. Te chaiacteis of a genus aie often quite easy to
iecognise, making this a useful identication level foi piactical puiposes. Foi example, it is
quite common foi a mallow to be iefeiied to as Malva sp., without indicating which paiticulai
species it is, sp. (pluial spp.) being the abbieviation of species. Once a genus has been
mentioned in a piece of text it may be abbieviated to its initial lettei when pait of a species
name, unless confusable with anothei genus beginning with the same lettei. In a paiagiaph
about Malva foi instance, it is usual to iefei to species as M. verticillata, M. sylvestris, etc. Foi
the use of genus names as common names see Chaptei 2.
3.5 Species
Geneia aie divided into species, the basic unit of plant classication. Note that the woid
species is both singulai and pluial. A species can be dened as a gioup of inteibieeding
individuals pioducing moie-oi-less similai ospiing and dieiing fiom othei similai gioups
10
in ceitain obseivable and constant chaiacteis. To avoid confusion each species in a genus
must have a dieient species epithet, e.g. Malva verticillata and M. sylvestris. Species epithets
should nevei be abbieviated.
3.6 Ranks below species level: subspecies, variety and form
When wild plants have a wide distiibution, populations may acquiie slightly dieient chaiacteis
in dieient geogiaphical aieas, especially if isolated. Such populations may be distinguished
as subspecies within the one species. Tus Malva sylvestris subsp. mauritanica dieis fiom
typical M. sylvestris in having a moie iobust habit and laigei, deepei puiple oweis with daikei
veins. Tis moiphological dieience is coiielated with geogiaphical distiibution. Subspecies
is usually abbieviated to subsp., though not to ssp. which might be confused with spp., the
abbieviation foi species in the pluial.
Distinct populations and individuals occuiiing spoiadically within the geogiaphical iange
of a species oi subspecies may be iecognised as vaiieties and foims (technically varietas and
forma, abbieviated to var. and f. iespectively). Tese may occui thioughout the iange of a
species oi subspecies, but aie not usually coiielated with geogiaphical distiibution. So Malva
alcea vai. fastigiata dieis fiom typical M. alcea in its upiight habit (among othei chaiacteis)
and M. moschata f. alba simply has white iathei than mauve oweis. Botanically, these may
not seem veiy signicant dieiences, but in the gaiden they can be veiy impoitant.
Although these ianks (subspecies, variety and form) tend to be used somewhat eiiatically,
they aie ianked in oidei and a plant may have a name at each iank, e.g. the diminutive daodil
Narcissus romieuxii subsp. albidus vai. zaianicus f. lutescens. Te ve paits of this name give
veiy piecise infoimation about the chaiacteis and ielationships of this plant. Howevei, such
complex names aie not often used in full and
the shoitei veision N. romieuxii f. lutescens
piovides a peifectly piecise iefeience, assuming
that theie is no othei f. lutescens anywheie in
the genus Narcissus. Foi use of cultivai names
within these ianks see section 4.1.
Sometimes in catalogues and othei plant
lists the species epithet is followed by a thiid
epithet with no indication of iank, e.g. Acer
palmatum dissectum. Tis is known as a
trinomial. If oiiginally published in this
mannei, the thiid epithet is not acceptable
undei the Botanical Code because no iank is given. Often these names weie in fact coiiectly
published but have since been wiongly cited. Sometimes the iank of the thiid epithet may not
be known oi it may tuin out to be a cultivar. Tis is an unsatisfactoiy situation which often
iequiies consideiable ieseaich to iesolve.
3.7 Hybrids
Some species, when giowing togethei, eithei in the wild oi in gaidens, may spontaneously
inteibieed oi may be delibeiately ciossed. Te iesulting ospiing aie known as hybrids and
mostly occui between species in the same genus (oi between subspecies oi vaiieties within
the same species). Foi example, hybiids between Erica ciliaris and E. tetralix have been given
the hybiid name Erica watsonii, the multiplication sign indicating hybiid oiigin. Such hybiid
names aie tieated like species names. Not all hybiids have been given hybiid names and aie
Narcissus romieuxii
11
iefeiied to by simply quoting the names of the
paient species linked by a multiplication sign,
e.g. Drosera pulchella D. nitidula. Tis is
called a hybrid formula. If a multiplication sign
is not available an x may be used instead.
Hybiids between geneia aie given
new hybiid genus names, e.g. the hybiid
between Crataegus and Mespilus is called
Crataemespilus, with the multiplication sign
pieceding the name. If moie than one species
in eithei genus has been used to make dieient
ciosses, each iesulting hybiid is tieated as
a dieient species in its own iight. Tus the
hybiid Cupressus lusitanica Chamaecyparis
nootkatensis has the name Cupressocyparis
ovensii while the cioss between Cupressus
arizonica and Chamaecyparis nootkatensis is
called Cupressocyparis notabilis.
Teie aie also a few special cases called
giaft hybiids (technically graft-chimaeras) wheie the tissues of two plants become physically
combined as a iesult of giafting iathei than thiough feitilisation. Tese aie indicated by a plus
sign, e.g. the giaft-chimaeia between Laburnum and Cytisus is called + Laburnocytisus.
3.8 Authors (authorities)
When a scientic name needs to be used with piecision, the name (often abbieviated) of the
peison who ist named the species, foi example, is given aftei the species epithet. Tis is the
author of that scientic name. Malva moschata L., foi instance, was named by the piolic
Swedish botanist Linnaeus, whose own name is abbieviated by inteinational convention
to L. Much of the time, this infoimation is iiielevant, but it becomes impoitant in cases of
nomenclatuial complexity wheie the same name may have been given to moie than one
species in the same genus, usually by dieient people (see section 8.1). Although only one of
these names is coiiect, if both can be found in books and catalogues, adding the authois name
is the only way to be suie which plant is being iefeiied to. Te same applies not only to geneia,
subspecies and vaiieties but also to cultivars. Although authois names aie not usually given
foi cultivais, citing the authois (oi oiiginatois) name in such cases may be the only way to be
ceitain which plant is being dealt with.
( nmvs ov tuI:Ivn:vo vIn:s :uosv oovvuvo sv
:uv tuI:Ivn:vo vIn: toov
4.1 Cultivar
In cultivation, vaiiation within species oi iesulting fiom hybiidisation often needs to be
iecognised and named. Plants exhibiting desiiable chaiacteis such as owei coloui, habit,
size, vaiiegation, fiuit coloui, avoui, disease-iesistance, eailiness, etc. may be iecognised
as cultivars (fiom cultivated vaiiety) and given cultivar epithets, they may be piopagated
vegetatively (clonally) oi fiom seed. A cultivai should be distinct, unifoim and stable in its
dening chaiacteis, and if piopagated by seed it must ietain its dening chaiacteis.
Laburnocytisus adamii
12
Cultivais aiise, and may be selected, fiom vaiious piocesses and souices:
selection in the wild oi in cultivation
bieeding and aiticial hybiidisation
spontaneous oi induced mutation.
Te cultivai epithet, when attached to the binomial oi genus name, foims the full cultivai
name. Te teim cultivai epithet iefeis only to the nal element of this name, i.e. the woid
oi woids enclosed in single quotation maiks. Te teim cultivai name iefeis to this epithet
pieceded by the genus, and usually the species as well.

Teie is a similai technical distinction between species name and species epithet which is
explained in section 3.1.
As theie is no othei cultivai called Pink Peifection in the genus Malva, it is acceptable to
shoiten this to Malva Pink Peifection oi M. Pink Peifection once it is cleai which genus is
being discussed. Te cultivai epithet may also be used with the common name of the genus,
e.g. mallow Pink Peifection. Similaily, wheie cultivais aie iecognised within ianks below
species level, it is not geneially necessaiy to cite eveiy iank but sucient to give the cultivai
epithet aftei the species name, oi even the genus name if theie is no possibility of confusion
with othei cultivais. Foi example, Malva moschata f. alba Piiouette can be iefeiied to as
Malva moschata Piiouette, Malva Piiouette, M. Piiouette oi mallow Piiouette, as long as
the name Piiouette has not been used elsewheie in the genus.
To distinguish cultivai epithets fiom the scientic pait of a name, they aie enclosed in
single quotation maiks, oi apostiophes, and should nevei be wiitten in italics (e.g. Malva
sylvestris Piimley Blue, Magnolia William Watson). Tey should not be pieceded by the
abbieviations cv., vai. oi f.
Cultivai epithets should not be iepeated within theii denomination class (usually a genus
oi Group, see section 4.2), although theie aie examples wheie this has occuiied.
Cultivais aie often iefeiied to as vaiieties, especially in the woild of seed-testing and
legislation. Tis piactice is contiaiy to the Cultivated Plant Code as it can iesult in confusion
with the botanical iank variety, especially wheie cultivai epithets aie, oi appeai to be, in Latin.
Consistent use of the teim cultivai is iecommended in the inteiests of claiity.
4.2 Group
When dealing with geneia wheie theie aie many cultivais oi wheie a well-known cultivai has
given iise to many otheis thiough plant bieeding, it has been found useful to use a collective
name, the Group epithet, to encompass cultivais which shaie ceitain dened chaiacteis,
though it should be noted that a Gioup does not have to contain, oi be solely composed of,
cultivais. Rhododendron Naomi Gioup, foi instance, contains seveial unnamed seedlings as
well as cultivais. Gioup names always include the woid Gioup and, when used with a cultivai
name, aie put in paientheses (cuived biackets), nevei in single quotation maiks. Foi example,
Solanum tuberosum (Mainciop Gioup) Desiiee is a cultivai within a Gioup of potatoes called
Mainciop. Te botanical ianks species, subspecies, vaiiety and foim may also be tieated as
Gioups, and theii scientic names may then be given as synonyms (see section 8.1) undei
the Gioup. Tis equivalence of Gioup to a botanical iank can be paiticulaily useful wheie
the iank is no longei iecognised botanically, though still woith distinguishing in gaidens. Foi
example, while Rhododendron scintillans is no longei iecognised as a distinct species, having
Grus rr (e.g. Malva) + Svrcirs rvi:nr: (e.g. moschata) + Cui:ivv rvi:nr: (e.g. Pink Peifection)
Cui:ivv rr (Malva moschata Pink Peifection)
13
been combined with (sunk into) R. polycladum, it is still iecognised in cultivation as R.
polycladum Scintillans Gioup, with the scientic name R. scintillans as a synonym. If necessaiy
a cultivai may be assigned to moie than one Gioup, and Solanum tuberosum Desiiee can also
be included in Red-Skinned Gioup.
4.3 Grex
In oichids, wheie complex gioups of hybiids may iesult fiom iepeats of a paiticulai cioss, the
Gioup system is fuithei iened. Each Gioup is given a grex name (= ock in Latin) which
coveis all ospiing iesulting fiom ciossing those paiticulai paients, howevei dieient the
piogeny may be fiom one anothei and howevei many times the cioss is made. Individual
cultivais within the giex may then be named and must be piopagated only by division oi
miciopiopagation. Although a giex is similai
to a hybiid in piinciple, backcrossing a
membei of a giex to one of its paients iesults
in a new giex, with a new name, wheieas
backciossing a hybiid distinguished puiely
by a scientic name iesults in piogeny which
still beai the same scientic hybiid name. In
contiast to Gioup, paientheses aie not used
with giex names, and giex is abbieviated to
gx. Foi example, Pleione Shantung gx Muiiel
Haibeid is a cultivai within Pleione Shantung
giex.
tommvutInI nmvs no :unovmnus :uosv o:
oovvuvo sv vI:uvu toov
Cultivai and Gioup (including giex) aie the only ianks coveied by the Cultivated Plant
Code foi desciibing vaiiation in cultivated plants, howevei, some additional teims aie used
commeicially. Aggiessive inteinational maiketing has iesulted in an incieasing numbei of
additional names known as trade designations, and the woid Series is becoming evei moie
widely used as an infoimal categoiy. In addition, the maiketing of plants using trademarks
has also added complexity.
5.1 Trade designations
While the cultivai name is usually used on labels at point-of-sale, theie aie vaiious ieasons
why a plant may also have one oi moie selling names oi trade designations. Cultivai names
may foi instance be code oi nonsense names, which do nothing to piomote sales, oi a moie
attiactive name may be chosen foi commeicial ieasons. Tiade designations sometimes
iesemble cultivai epithets and aie often piesented as such, but they should not be enclosed in
single quotation maiks and whenevei possible should be piinted in a typeface which contiasts
with the cultivai epithet, usually small capitals. Tey should always be cited togethei with the
tiue cultivai name. Te cultivai Choisya ternata Lich is maiketed undei the tiade designation
Suocr. If both epithets appeai togethei the tiade designation should follow the cultivai
name, e.g. Choisya ternata Lich Suocr.
Pleione Shantung gx Muiiel Haibeid
14
A second type of tiade designation involves cultivai names oiiginating in foieign languages.
In many countiies theie is iesistance to using foieign cultivai names, especially if they can
easily be tianslated oi given an alteinative name. Foi the sake of stability, the foim in which
such a name was oiiginally published is iegaided as the coiiect cultivai name, and any
tianslations aie iegaided as tiade designations. In Te RHS Plant Finder (Loid et al., 2006),
such tianslations aie cioss-iefeienced to the coiiect cultivai names, in the same way as
synonyms, e.g. Hamamelis x intermedia Moic Fivr = Feueizaubei.
5.2 Cultivated Plant Series
Use of the woid Seiies has become incieasingly populai, foi both seed-iaised and vegetatively
piopagated plants, paiticulaily those pioduced in laige numbeis foi use as bedding plants,
pot plants oi cut oweis. Tis should not be confused with the foimal botanical iank seiies,
an optional subdivision of genus. Cultivated Plant Series aie piimaiily aiticial maiketing
devices and aie often given trademarks, they aie thus not goveined by the Cultivated Plant
Code. Such Seiies usually, though by no means always, link moiphologically similai plants
dieiing in a single chaiactei such as owei oi leaf coloui. Te individual membeis of a Seiies
may be known by:
the Seiies name with an attached desciiptoi such as ied with white eye,
a cultivai name, which cannot include the Seiies name if the lattei is a tiademaik,
a tiade designation, which might oi might not include the Seiies name andioi be used
foi a paiticulai cultivai. Howevei, it is common piactice foi the same tiade designation
to be applied to dieient cultivais, foi instance if the oiiginal plant beaiing the tiade
designation is supeiseded by one deemed to be bettei oi easiei to pioduce.
Te same plant can be included in moie than one Seiies simultaneously. Te complexities of
nomenclatuie and tiademaik law make it dicult to style the names of Seiies and theii individual
membeis with ceitainty oi consistency, even with the help of the oiiginatoi of the plant.
Tough theie aie no iules goveining the styling of names of Seiies oi theii membeis,
these may be tieated in a similai mannei to Gioup names. Te Seiies name may be placed in
paientheses befoie the cultivai name oi tiade designation, if foi instance it is helpful to list all
the membeis of a Seiies alphabetically, e.g. Impatiens (Paiadise Seiies) Pvr:r (Kipete), wheie
Papete is the tiade designation and Kipete the cultivai name. Alteinatively, the Seiies name
may be added in paientheses aftei the cultivai name andioi tiade designation as additional
infoimation, e.g. Petunia Dounioo Biur S:v (Dandbblst) (Doubloon Seiies).
5.2.1 Formula mixes
Cultivated Plant Seiies can change fiom yeai to yeai as new components aie added oi iemoved,
and mixtuies based on such Seiies can vaiy in piopoitions of individual membeis of the Seiies.
Even in a foimula mix, the seed-house iesponsible can often change the foimula fiom one
season to the next. Such mixtuies can be iefeiied to by giving the Seiies name followed by an
appiopiiate desciiptoi, e.g. Aquilegia vulgaris Bailow Seiies, mixed (not Aquilegia vulgaris
Noia Bailows Relatives).
5.3 Trademarks
Trademarks aie piopiietaiy signs that must be used in accoidance with tiademaik law and
may, if ielevant, be accompanied by eithei the
oi
`
symbols, the lattei is foi iegisteied
tiademaiks only. Tiademaiks aie maiketing tools and aie not equivalent to noi can they be

15
substituted foi cultivai names. Technically they seive only as biand names to identify the
souice oi oiigin of the plant, not the plant itself, and aie nothing to do with nomenclatuie.
In piactice, howevei, many cultivais aie initially ieleased with only a tiade designation oi
tiademaik, the cultivai epithet appeaiing some time latei, peihaps when Plant Breeders
Rights aie applied foi oi gianted. To comply with the Cultivated Plant Code, tiademaiks
should not be cited as pait of a name and should nevei appeai in single quotation maiks
oi in italics. To lessen confusion it is piefeiable to iefei to plants only by theii botanical
and cultivai epithets. Howevei, if theie is some compelling ieason to include a tiademaik,
it should be cleaily distinguished fiom the actual name, e.g. Magnolia grandiora Monlia
Majestic Beauty
, Sequoia sempervirens Monty Majestic Beauty
, oi Rosa Cheiiy Biandy

`

which applies to seveial iose cultivais. Tiademaiks used in conjunction with, oi appaiently as,
cultivai epithets cause paiticulai pioblems when deciding which woids constitute a cultivai
name and which aie a maiketing device.
6 uov :o nmv n vv tuI:Ivnu
Te pioceduie foi naming a new cultivai has to stiike a balance between the oiiginatois
need foi a pleasing name which ts theii puiposes and the necessity of avoiding confusion,
foi instance with othei similaily named cultivais. Te oiiginatoi will usually be the bieedei
oi discoveiei of the plant in question. Heie we covei some geneial fundamental points, full
details can be found in Aiticle 19 of the Cultivated Plant Code.
Befoie thinking about suitable names you must be suie that you aie justied in naming a
new cultivai.
Fiistly it must meet the basic denition of a cultivai, i.e. it must be cleaily distinct,
unifoim and stable in its chaiacteis and must ietain those chaiacteis when appiopiiately
piopagated, whethei vegetatively oi fiom seed.
Secondly you need to be suie that the cultivai is eithei tiuly new oi has nevei been
named, it cannot be the same as a cultivai which alieady exists. If you have iaised a
seedling oi piopagated a vaiiegated spoit, foi instance, you need to be suie that a similai
spoit oi seedling has not alieady been named.
Tiidly the cultivai must be youis to name. Again, if you bied it theie will be little doubt
about this, but if you acquiied it by othei means, this may need caieful investigation.
Te actual oiiginatoi may alieady have named the cultivai oi be in the piocess of doing
so. It is not acceptable to name a cultivai without the knowledge and agieement of the
oiiginatoi.
If the answei to these thiee questions is cleaily positive you may then considei suitable names,
but you should also take into account anything else which might limit youi choice. Foi instance,
if you intend to apply foi Plant Bieedeis Rights, oi any othei foim of intellectual piopeity
piotection, you should consult the ielevant iegulations, such as those of the Plant Vaiiety
Rights oce in the teiiitoiy wheie you intend to apply, as these iegulations may legally ovei-
iule the iequiiements of the Cultivated Plant Code.
If no iights aie being sought then you will piobably have moie fieedom. At this stage it is
advisable to think of seveial suitable names iathei than become too xed on one that may latei
have to be iejected. When choosing oi designing a name you should iead thiough Aiticle 19 of
the Cultivated Plant Code to make suie that youi name fulls all the necessaiy ciiteiia. Cultivai
epithets should be ieasonably shoit (30 chaiacteis at most) and not contain excessively long
woids. Tey may consist of existing woids oi be invented.

16
Te ist lettei of each woid is in uppei case except foi conjunctions and piepositions, unless
they aie the ist woid of the name. In hyphenated epithets, the ist letteis of woids following
hyphens aie in lowei case, unless custom demands otheiwise (e.g. Crocus chrysanthus Eye-
catchei, Narcissus Commandei-in-Chief ). Cultivai epithets coined since 1959 should
follow the iules set out in the Cultivated Plant Code (see Chaptei 10) and be in a modein
language, i.e. they should not be in Latin oi Latinised, as many weie in the past, unless they
aie established phiases oi sayings such as Cum Laude oi Ipso Facto. Cultivai epithets must
not be misleading oi include supeilatives, common desciiptive phiases such as Laige White
oi Double Red, oi technical woids such as vaiiety, foim, hybiid oi selection. A fullei
summaiy of the moie impoitant iules conceining the styling and foimation of cultivai epithets
is given in Appendix 1. In commeicial bieeding piogiammes wheie cultivais may be pioduced
in huge numbeis, they aie often given code names to avoid having to coin laige numbeis of
epithets. Tese codes may also seive as cultivai epithets when Plant Bieedeis Rights (PBR),
Plant Vaiiety Rights (PVR) oi Plant Patents aie being applied foi. Rose gioweis staited the
tiend foi coded cultivai epithets, but with the iapid expansion of PBR these can now be found
attached to many kinds of plant.
Once you have some pleasing and satisfactoiy ideas the next step is to check some iefeiences,
such as Te RHS Plant Finder and any appiopiiate Registeis oi Checklists, and also use inteinet
seaich engines to make suie that youi name has not alieady been used in the same genus (oi
denomination class, see section 4.1). You should also contact the appiopiiate International
Cultivar Registration Authority (ICRA), who will have iecoids of all the cultivai names that
have been used in that denomination class. If youi pioposed name is alieady in use, it can be
used again only in exceptional ciicumstances (see section 8.1, and Aiticle 27 of the Cultivated
Plant Code).
; uov :o ovstuIsv, vusIIsu no uvoIs:vu n vv
tuI:Ivnu nmv
A new cultivai name is easiei to desciibe and publish than a new species name, the main
dieience being that it can be done in catalogues and seed-lists as well as in books and jouinals.
It cannot howevei be done on seed labels oi in electionic foim. Te desciiption, which should
cleaily distinguish the new cultivai fiom otheis, can be in any modein language. In piactice,
some cultivai epithets aie published, without desciiptions, in Statutoiy Lists
2
, which may be
in electionic foim only, though the ielevant desciiptions may be available on application to
the appiopiiate authoiity.
2
Tese include Monthly Gazettes, National Lists, the EU Common Catalogue and the Community
Plant Vaiiety Oce (CVPO) Gazette.
Note that the teim cultivai epithet iefeis to the nal element of the name, i.e. the woid oi
woids enclosed in quotation maiks, the teim cultivai name iefeis to this epithet pieceded by
the genus name, and often the species epithet as well. See section 4.1 foi moie details.
17
Te Cultivated Plant Code stiongly discouiages ie-use of cultivai names within the same
denomination class. As with species and geneia, the naming of cultivais is usually based
on priority of publication, the oldest valid name geneially being the accepted one. Foi
many oinamental plant gioups theie is an International Cultivar Registration Authority
(ICRA), who iegulates the piocess of giving new names by iequiiing theii submission and
iegistiation, they also iegulaily publish lists of new cultivai names. Foi example, theie aie
ovei 23,000 iegisteied cultivais of daodil listed in Te International Daodil Register and
Classied List 1998. Such lists aim to pievent the confusing use of duplicate names.
Note that technically a single plant cannot be a cultivai, and while cultivai names based on
single plants aie sometimes iegisteied by ICRAs, at least 10 individuals must be piovided if
Plant Bieedeis Rights aie being applied foi.
7.1 Nomenclatural Standards and Standard Portfolios
It is stiongly iecommended that a Nomenclatural Standard be designated by the oiiginatoi
foi eveiy new cultivai. Tis will geneially be a selected heibaiium specimen to which the
name of the cultivai is peimanently linked. In some cases an illustiation, such as a piint, slide
oi painting, may be designated as a Standaid if the essential chaiacteis aie bettei iepiesented
in this foim. Foi some ciop plants, the ielevant statutoiy document containing the desciiption
will act as the Nomenclatuial Standaid (see Appendix 2).
Nomenclatuial Standaids should be deposited in iecognised heibaiia such as at the Royal
Hoiticultuial Societys Gaiden, Wisley, Woking, GU23 6QB and the Royal Botanic Gaiden
Edinbuigh, 20A Inveileith Row, Edinbuigh EH3 5LR, in the UK.
Additional mateiial ielating to a cultivai may, togethei with the Standaid, compiise a
Standard Portfolio. Tis may include extia heibaiium specimens oi illustiations, a full
desciiption including all diagnostic chaiacteis,
details of iegistiation and paientage, ielevant
nuiseiy catalogues, and DNA data oi samples.
Tese need not all be stoied togethei, but theii
location and any othei impoitant infoimation
should be iecoided with the Nomenclatuial
Standaid. Details of the vaiious elements in
the Standaid Poitfolio and wheie they aie
held should accompany the desciiption of the
new cultivai name.
Since 1 Januaiy 2004 special piovisions have
applied to the designation of Nomenclatuial
Standaids foi clonal oi seed-iaised cultivais
whose names aie established undei statutoiy
legislation (e.g. Plant Bieedeis Rights, Plant
Patents). Foi clonal cultivais, the Standaid
must be piepaied fiom the same stock as that
oiiginally tested by the authoiity. Foi seed-
iaised cultivais the Standaid must be piepaied
fiom plants giown fiom seed deposited in and
maintained by nominated seed collections.
Nomenclatuial Standaid of
Delphinium David Mannion
18
8 vuosIvms vI:u vIn: nmvs
8.1 Synonyms, homonyms and priority
Although ideally each species oi cultivai will have only one name, theie aie veiy many situations
wheie one plant may have two oi moie names (synonyms), oi wheie two oi moie plants have
ieceived the same name (homonyms). In each case, only one name can be iegaided as coiiect.
One of the majoi tasks of the Botanical Code is to piovide guidance in cases wheie theie
aie duplicated oi supeiuous names. Tis is set out in the Piinciple of Priority which declaies
that the eailiest validly published name (since 1753) is geneially coiiect and also that wheie
the same name has been applied to dieient species only the eailiest use is coiiect. Tis is
basically sound but has iesulted in unfoitunate changes of some familiai, technically incoiiect
names, thiough the uneaithing of names that being eailiei aie thus technically coiiect.
A similai Piinciple of Piioiity applies to cultivais, which may acquiie extia names just as
species do and may even be gianted Plant Bieedeis Rights undei dieient names in dieient
countiies. Te latei names aie synonyms accoiding to the Cultivated Plant Code, though
legally only the iegisteied name is coiiect in any paiticulai countiy. In the inteiests of stability
International Cultivar Registration Authorities (ICRAs) have authoiity to designate as
accepted a technically incoiiect cultivai name. Tough Chamaecyparis Gieen Pillai is a
latei name (1960) foi Chamaecyparis Jackmans Vaiiety (1947), the foimei, being in geneial
use, was designated as the accepted name by the ICRA foi conifeis. Extia selling names,
names given when an oiiginal cultivai name is felt not to piomote good sales, aie mostly trade
designations (see section 5.1).
Tough ie-use of cultivai epithets is stiongly discouiaged by the Cultivated Plant Code,
it is technically peimissible in ceitain ciicumstances. In geneia wheie theie aie veiy many
cultivais, such as Fuchsia and Pelargonium, ie-use of cultivai names has pioved dicult to
avoid, and commeicial ims may be keen to ie-use paiticulaily successful names foi dieient
mateiial. In these cases ie-use must be sanctioned by the appiopiiate ICRA and ie-used names
should be qualied with the name of the iaisei, the date of publication oi othei infoimation
which pinpoints theii tiue identity. Foi example, two tulip cultivais with the same epithet can
be distinguished as Tulipa Libeity [Kielage pie-1926] and Tulipa Libeity [Vooien 1988].
8.2 Why plant names are changed
Teie aie thiee main ieasons why plant names aie changed: taxonomic ieseaich, incoiiect
nomenclatuie, and misidentication.
8.2.1 Taxonomic research
In the past it was geneially accepted that plant classication should ieect moiphology, and that
species with similai chaiacteis should be in the same genus. Conveisely geneia weie dened
so that they did not contain species moiphologically veiy dieient fiom one anothei. As moie
ieseaich is done and moie data aie gatheied, the ideas that botanists have about similaiities and
dieiences may change. Teie is now an incieasing belief that the ways that plants aie giouped
togethei should ieect evolutionaiy ielationships. Whethei the emphasis is on moiphology oi
on evolution, the iesults of taxonomic ieseaich may suggest (among othei things) that:
a genus should be split into smallei geneia
two oi moie geneia should be combined (lumped) to make a laigei genus
one oi moie species should be moved fiom one genus to anothei.
In each case name changes will iesult as some species will end up in dieient geneia fiom
wheie they weie befoie.

19
8.2.1.1 Splitting genera
When a genus is split, it is necessaiy to make a new genus name foi those species that have been
iemoved. Te English bluebell was ist desciibed as Hyacinthus non-scriptus by Linnaeus in
1753. When latei woikeis iealised that the genus Hyacinthus contained some iathei dieient
plants, it was split into seveial paits, and in 1849 the bluebell was placed in the genus Endymion
by Gaicke. Howevei, many species in this genus weie latei consideied to belong in the genus
Scilla, and in 1934 it was again divided up, with the bluebell being moved into a thiid genus,
Hyacinthoides. Hyacinthoides non-scripta (L.) Chouaid ex Rothm. is the name it caiiies today.
Similaily Geranium, Pelargonium and Erodium weie all included in Geranium by Linnaeus.
Latei botanists split the oiiginal genus as moie species weie discoveied and opinions changed
as to which chaiacteis weie impoitant in dening the new geneia.
8.2.1.2 Combining genera
When two oi moie geneia aie lumped, the new enlaiged genus will geneially take the oldest
name of the geneia involved. A few yeais ago it was pioposed that the geneia Gaultheria and
Pernettya weie too similai moiphologically to be iegaided as distinct. Tis entailed combining
them into a new enlaiged Gaultheria, the oldei of the two names. Pernettya pumila then
became Gaultheria pumila, and P. macrostigma
became G. macrostigma. A complication
sometimes aiises when the epithet of a species
being combined has alieady been used in the
oldei genus. When Azalea and Rhododendron
weie combined it was necessaiy to iename all
azaleas as ihododendions. Howevei, Azalea
pontica could not be called Rhododendron
ponticum because that name was alieady
in use. Azalea pontica was thus ienamed
Rhododendron luteum.
8.2.1.3 Changes at species level
Splitting and lumping also happen at species level.
Salix hibernica was desciibed by Kail Rechingei in
1963 fiom a tiny population on a mountain in the west
of Iieland. Howevei, the plant scaicely dieis fiom a
species of willow found thioughout noithein Euiope
fiom Denmaik to Aictic Russia, desciibed by Linnaeus
as S. phylicifolia moie than 200 yeais eailiei in 1753.
Salix hibernica Rech.f.
3
is theiefoie now iegaided as
a synonym of S. phylicifolia. Francoa sonchifolia was
thought to be one of a numbei of closely ielated species
including F. appendiculata, F. glabrata and F. ramosa.
Tey aie now geneially consideied to compiise the
single, highly vaiiable species F. sonchifolia, with the
othei names being synonyms, though some people
still iegaid them as distinct.
3
In abbieviated authoi names, f. is shoit foi lius, the Latin foi son. Tis distinguishes the Kail
Rechingei in question fiom his fathei, foi whom the abbieviation is Rech..
Rhododendron luteum
Francoa sonchifolia
20
8.2.2 Incorrect nomenclature
One pioblem which leads to name changes and the cieation of synonyms is often misundeistood
and iequiies some explanation. In the past, in paiticulai duiing the nineteenth centuiy when a
huge amount of botanical exploiation was taking place, it was possible foi dieient botanists
to desciibe and name the same species in dieient paits of the woild, unawaie that they weie
duplicating each otheis woik. With impioved communication this iaiely happens now, but
it fiequently led to cases of a single species with two oi moie names oi conveisely two oi
moie species with the same name. When a taxonomist staits to ieseaich a gioup of plants in
detail it is highly likely that some species will be found to have ieceived moie than one name.
Tis confusion is soited out by applying the Piinciple of Piioiity as set out in the Botanical
Code, in essence this gives priority to the name published ist. All othei names then become
synonyms of that name.
Some yeais ago gaideneis and hoiticultuiists weie annoyed to leain that the plant they
had long known as Viburnum fragrans Bunge was to be ienamed V. farreri Steain. When von
Bunge named his species in 1833 he was unawaie that the name had alieady been used by the
Fiench botanist Loiseleui in 1824 foi a quite dieient species. When two oi moie species have
been given the same name, the dieient usages of the name, in this case V. fragrans Bunge
and V. fragrans Loisel., aie said to be homonyms. When this came to the attention of William
Steain well ovei 100 yeais latei, he knew that stiict application of the Botanical Code meant
that von Bunges plant would have to be given a new name. He was howevei ieluctant to do
this because of the geneial inconvenience it would cause, and he tiied to nd a solution that
would not involve any ienaming. Unfoitunately at the time this was not possible and in 1966
he ieluctantly ienamed the species V. farreri Steain, with V. fragrans Bunge as a synonym.
As such changes can have a destabilising eect, a much moie piagmatic view is now taken,
and well-known species names, even if technically incoiiect, can now be conserved. Foi
example, the name of the populai heathei Erica carnea was saved fiom being changed to
the oldei name E. herbacea. Similaily the genus name Freesia has been conseived against
the technically coiiect Anomatheca. Te Inteinational Seed Testing Association (ISTA) has
published a list of stabilised names down to species level.
Recently the familiai genus name Chrysanthemum, which includes the common gaiden
and cut owei chiysanths, was in dangei of being lost because of stiict application of the
Piinciple of Piioiity. A ieseaichei discoveied that in 1855, Chrysanthemum indicum had been
tiansfeiied to the genus Dendranthema, and as a iesult the lattei name began to appeai in
catalogues and nuiseiy lists in the 1990s. Howevei, most hoiticultuiists continued to ignoie
the name, which is just as well because at the 1999 Inteinational Botanical Congiess the name
Chrysanthemum was successfully conseived and Dendranthema iejected.
8.2.3 Misidentication
Plants in cultivation oi in the wild may be misidentied and subsequently iefeiied to by one oi
moie wiong names. If a valid name alieady exists then once the situation is iealised the tiue
name will have to be used. If the species tuins out nevei to have been piopeily named, then a
new name will have to be published.
Sutera cordata was ist biought to Biitain fiom South Afiica in mid-1992, and foi a while
was maiketed undei two incoiiect names, Sutera diusa and Bacopa Snowake. Sutera
diusa is a made-up name that has nevei been published and Bacopa is a quite dieient genus.
As this species alieady had the valid name S. cordata, it was cleai what it should be called.
Culinaiy ihubaib, oiiginally giown foi its medicinal piopeities and with a complex hybiid
oiigin, was vaiiously known as Rheum rhabarbarum, R. rhaponticum and R. undulatum, though
21
all thiee names actually belong to othei species. Undei the impiession that it had no name,
Toisiud & Reisaetei named it R. x cultorum in 1948. Howevei, this was invalid as they did
not piovide a piopei desciiption, and the plant tuined out to have the much oldei valid name
R. x hybridum Muiiay, published in 1775.
:uv I:vun:IonI toov ov so:nItnI
omvtIn:uuv
Te International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN oi Botanical Code) sets out the
iules foi giving and using the scientic names of plants at all ianks in the taxonomic hieiaichy
including the familiai family, genus and species (see section 3.2). Te scientic names of plants
in cultivation aie also goveined by the Botanical Code, though they may also have additional
epithets (Cultivai and Gioup) goveined by the Cultivated Plant Code (see sections 4.1 and
4.2). A ievised edition of the Botanical Code is published within a yeai aftei each Inteinational
Botanical Congiess, these being held eveiy six yeais. Te most iecent (McNeill et al., 2006)
followed the Vienna Congiess in 2005. Te iules aie summaiised in six majoi piinciples:
Independence fiom zoological nomenclatuie. (Tough Pieris is the genus name both
of the Cabbage-white Butteiy and of a widely cultivated shiub the iisk of confusion is
minimal as the oiganisms come undei dieient Codes. Both uses aie thus legitimate.)
Use of nomenclatural types (see section 9.2).
Opeiation of the Piinciple of Piioiity, the baseline publication being Linnaeuss Species
Plantarum (1 May 1753).
Piovision of one coiiect name pei taxon, geneially the eailiest legitimate name with
eective and valid publication.
Use of Latin foim foi scientic names iegaidless of oiigin.
Retioactive application of iules unless stated otheiwise. (Latin desciiptions, foi example,
became mandatoiy in 1935 but this iule is woided so that it does not apply back in time
to all pieviously published names.)
9.1 Naming new species and other taxa
When taxonomists name and desciibe a new taxon they must follow the iules set out in the
Botanical Code. Foi a new species these iules iequiie:
piovision of an epithet that has nevei been validly used befoie in that genus,
piovision in Latin of a full desciiption oi a shoitei dierential diagnosis,
designation of a nomenclatural type (heibaiium specimen) which must be deposited at a
iecognised institution.
9.2 Te type concept
Foi eveiy named species of plant theie is usually a nomenclatural type. Tis is not necessaiily
a typical oi even aveiage example of the species, but simply a iepiesentative. When a species is
ist desciibed, a diied heibaiium specimen is selected as the type specimen. In the past living
plants oi illustiations could be selected as type specimens but this is no longei acceptable.
When a taxon, such as species, genus oi family, is divided into two oi moie paits, the oiiginal
name stays with the pait containing the type specimen. Tis ensuies that a name is xed to a
paiticulai taxon and is not open to dieient inteipietations. Te type specimen liteially acts
as the name caiiiei. Ideally all the type specimens associated with a genus should be studied
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

22
in oidei to deteimine the coiiect name foi each species. In piactice this is not always possible.
Te type of a species oi any lowei taxon is usually a single heibaiium specimen, though theie
may also be othei duplicates.
Note that theie aie seveial dieient soits of type specimen, dieientiated by piexes
attached to the woid type (e.g. holotype, lectotype). Tese aie explained fully in Aiticle 9 of
the Botanical Code.
1o :uv I:vun:IonI toov ov omvtIn:uuv vou
tuI:Ivn:vo vIn:s
Te International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP oi Cultivated Plant
Code) is simplei and shoitei than the Botanical Code and sets out the iules foi giving and using
epithets in two special categoiies (Cultivai and Gioup) designed foi iecognising and naming
vaiiation within species oi iesulting fiom hybiidisation. Note that the scientic names of plants
in cultivation (e.g. family, genus, species and subspecies) aie still goveined by the Botanical
Code, whethei oi not the plants have also been given cultivai names. Revised editions of
the Cultivated Plant Code have in the past been published less often than foi the Botanical
Code, though iapid changes in cultivated plant taxonomy and ielated aieas suggest that they
will be needed moie fiequently in the futuie. New editions aie the woik of the Inteinational
Commission foi the Nomenclatuie of Cultivated Plants, the most iecent (Biickell et al., 2004)
followed meetings of the Commission in Edinbuigh (1998) and Toionto (2002). Te Code is
summaiised in eleven majoi piinciples, including:
Piomotion of unifoimity, accuiacy and stability in the naming of cultivated plants.
Opeiation of the Piinciple of Piioiity foi Cultivais and Gioups, each beaiing only one
accepted name.
Fiee availability and use of Cultivai and Gioup names, which should not be used as
tiademaiks.
Regulation of the coiiect pioceduie foi giving and using Cultivai and Gioup names.
Suppoit foi the piactice of iegisteiing Cultivai and Gioup names with International
Cultivar Registration Authorities (ICRAs) and the publication by them of lists of
iegisteied names.
Te impoitance of selecting, pieseiving and publishing Nomenclatural Standards foi
Cultivai and Gioup names.
Retioactive application of iules unless stated otheiwise. (Tis is similai to Piinciple 6 in
Chaptei 9.)
Tough the Cultivated Plant Code mentions and discusses scientic names, common names,
tiade designations and tiademaiks, it is made cleai that they aie not goveined by this Code.
11 uvvvuvtvs no vuu:uvu uvnoIo
Biickell, C.D. et al. (2004). International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants. Acta
Hoiticultuiae 647. Inteinational Society foi Hoiticultuial Science, Leuven.
Biummitt, R.K. (1992). Vascular Plant Families and Genera. Royal Botanic Gaidens, Kew,
London.
Coombes, A.J. (1985). Dictionary of Plant Names. Collingiidge, Feltham.

23
Dony, J.G., Juiy, S.L. & Peiiing, F.H. (1986). English Names of Wild Flowers (2nd edition).
Botanical Society of the Biitish Isles.
McNeill, J. et al. (eds) (2006). International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Vienna
Code). A.R.G. Gantei Veilag, Ruggel, Liechtenstein (foi Inteinational Association foi Plant
Taxonomy), distiibuted by Koeltz Scientic Books, Knigstein, Geimany.
Jeiey, C. (1978). Biological Nomenclature. Edwaid Ainold, London.
Jeiey, C. (1982). An Introduction to Plant Taxonomy. Edwaid Ainold, London.
Loid, W.A. et al. (2006). Te RHS Plant Finder 20062007. Doiling Kindeisley, London.
Lumley, P. & Spencei, R. (1991). Plant Names, a guide to botanical nomenclature. Royal
Botanical Gaidens, Melbouine.
Pankhuist, R. & Hyam, R. (1995). Plants and their Names. Royal Botanic Gaiden Edinbuigh
and Oxfoid Univeisity Piess, Oxfoid.
Stace, C.A. (1989). Plant Taxonomy and Biosystematics. Cambiidge Univeisity Piess,
Cambiidge.
Steain, W.T. (1992). Botanical Latin (4th edition). Timbei Piess, Poitland, Oiegon.
Steain, W.T. (1996). Stearns Dictionary of Plant Names for Gardeners (4th edition). Timbei
Piess, Poitland, Oiegon.
1z vvssI:vs
Horticultural Taxonomy Group (Hou:nx)
http:iiwww.hoitax.oig.uki
International Cultivar Registration Authorities (ICRAs)
http:iiwww.ishs.oigiiciai
International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS)
http:iiwww.ishs.oigi
Nomenclatural Standards
http:iiwww.ihs.oig.ukiieseaichistandaids.asp
International Seed Testing Association (ISTA): List of Stabilised Plant Names
Te list is hosted by the Geimplasm Resouices Infoimation Netwoik (GRIN) and gives names
which aie stabilised down to species. Te woik is the pioduct of the ISTA Nomenclatuie
Committee, chaiied by John Wieisema.
http:iiwww.ais-giin.govi-sbmljwiistaintiod.html
Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database
Site based at the Univeisity of Melbouine, Austialia. Contact is Michel Poichei.
http:iiwww.plantnames.unimelb.edu.auiSoitingiFiontpage.html
24
Othei sites which may be of inteiest in teims of cultivais iegisteied and piotected foi Plant
Bieedeis Rights (PBR):
Community Plant Variety Oce (CPVO), Angers, France
Lists applications foi Euiopean Community Plant Vaiiety Rights and cultivais which have
cuiient PBR in Euiope.
http:iiwww.cpvo.eu.inti
International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)
Inteinational Convention foi PBR, guidelines and chaiacteiistics foi DUS (Distinct, Unifoim
and Stable) tests foi PBR.
http:iiwww.upov.inti
UK Plant Varieties and Seeds Gazette
Lists cultivais which aie cuiiently iegisteied with PBR in the UK.
http:iiwww.defia.gov.ukiplanthipvsigaz.htm
1 nvvvoItvs
nvvvoIx 1: :uv s:vIIo no voumn:Io ov tuI:Ivnu
vvI:uv:s
1. Styling of cultivar epithets
Cultivai epithets aie indicated by enclosing them in single quotation maiks, e.g. Bellis
Dawn Raidei. It is not acceptable to use double quotation maiks oi the abbieviations cv.
(cultivai) oi vai. (vaiiety) foi this puipose.
Each woid of a cultivai epithet must stait with a capital lettei unless against linguistic
custom.
Te multiplication sign must not be used befoie a cultivai epithet even if that cultivai is
believed to be of hybiid oiigin.
Teie is a geneially obseived convention that scientic names (i.e. those goveined by the
Botanical Code) aie piinted in italic, whilst Cultivai and Gioup epithets aie in oidinaiy
Roman letteis.
2. Formation of cultivar epithets
With a few exceptions cultivai epithets foimed on oi aftei 1 Januaiy 1959 should not be
in Latin foim. Te exceptions include those based on pieviously published names at a
iank goveined by the Botanical Code, as well as Latin woids that aie in cuiient use in a
language othei than Latin, foi example as teims, common phiases, peisonal names oi
place names.
Cultivai epithets should be as shoit as piactical and should not contain excessively long
woids that may be dicult to wiite oi pionounce. On oi aftei 1 Januaiy 1996 they must
consist of no moie than 30 chaiacteis (Roman letteis, numbeis and peimitted punctuation
maiks and symbols), excluding spaces and the demaicating single quotation maiks.
a.
b.
c.
d.
a.
b.
25
Cultivai epithets do not have to consist of existing woids but may be novel inventions.
Aftei 1 Januaiy 1959 cultivai epithets must not include supeilatives ielating to the
meiits of the cultivai (e.g. Eailiest of All), these could become confusing thiough latei
intioduction of cultivais of similai (oi bettei) qualities.
Aftei 1 Januaiy 1959 cultivai epithets may not contain the woids foim oi vaiiety oi
theii abbieviations oi equivalents in othei languages.
Aftei 1 Januaiy 1996 cultivai epithets may not contain the following woids: cultivai,
giex, gioup, hybiid, maintenance, mixtuie, selection, spoit, seiies and stiain oi
the pluial of these woids, oi the woids impioved and tiansfoimed, oi theii equivalents
in any language.
Accents and othei diaciitical maiks (apait fiom the diaeresis) should be included in
cultivai epithets and may also be added to existing epithets published without them, if
linguistic custom is bettei seived.
Cultivai epithets oi paits of them should not be abbieviated with the exception of
woids oi foims of addiess noimally abbieviated by linguistic custom. Te use of such
abbieviations is optional and if desiied the abbieviated woid may be spelled in full, the
two vaiiants being tieated as equivalent epithets. If an epithet is established using initials
of peisonal names these may not subsequently be spelled out in full.
Aftei 1 Januaiy 1996 cultivai epithets must not contain the Latin oi common name of the
genus to which the cultivai is assigned.
Only in exceptional ciicumstances should cultivai epithets be ie-used within a genus
(oi denomination class, oi gioup of similai geneia), noi should they be so similai to
any existing epithet as to be likely to cause confusion. Neveitheless it is now peimissible
undei the Cultivated Plant Code to ie-use a cultivai epithet if this is unlikely to cause
confusion and if the epithet has only iaiely been used in publications. In addition the
Inteinational Cultivai Registiation Authoiity should be satised that the oiiginal cultivai:
i) is no longei in cultivation
ii) has ceased to exist as bieeding mateiial
iii) may not be found in gene oi seed banks
iv) is not a known component in the pedigiee of othei cultivais.
In the woild of seed-testing and seed maiketing legislation, cultivai epithets may be
ie-used if the oiiginal cultivai has not been in commeicial existence foi seveial yeais,
even though it may still exist in genebanks oi geimplasm collections. To avoid confusion
between cultivais with the same epithet, especially in databases, citation of a bieedeis
iefeience, application numbei oi yeai of ist iegistiation is stiongly iecommended.
Cultivai epithets should always be used in association with at least a genus name in Latin
foim, oi the common name of the genus if this is unambiguous, e.g. Bellis Dawn Raidei
is just as acceptable as Bellis perennis Dawn Raidei, but Daisy Dawn Raidei is potentially
ambiguous as many othei geneia aie loosely iefeiied to as daisies.
Cultivai epithets may not be tianslated into dieient languages. Wheie this has
happened the tianslation is to be iegaided as a trade designation. Te tiansciiption oi
tiansliteiation of epithets is peimitted, e.g. fiom Japanese to English (tiansciiption) oi
fiom Russian to English (tiansliteiation).
Epithets at the iank of Gioup aie foimed accoiding to similai iules. Howevei, they should
nevei be placed within single quotation maiks and should always contain the woid Gioup as
the ist oi last woid of the epithet (oi its equivalent in othei modein languages). Epithets foi
the special veision of Gioup used in oichid nomenclatuie, the grex, aie foimed in a similai
way although theie aie seveial exceptions to theii piesentation. See the Cultivated Plant Code
(Aiticles 19 & 20) foi details.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
26
nvvvoIx z: s:n:u:ouv :vs:Io ov nouItuI:uunI no
vvov:nsIv tuovs I :uv u
Denitive reference samples
Foi DUS (Distinct, Unifoim and Stable) testing of seed-piopagated cultivais, theie is a need
to stoie a iefeience collection of seed samples to allow compaiison of all cultivais within the
same Gioup.
A seed sample ieceived into the iefeience collection foi testing a new cultivai is consideied
to be denitive. Tis seed will be used to giow and desciibe the new cultivai and will be used
to iepiesent that cultivai if giown in futuie tests. Te denitive seed sample has a diiect link
with the cultivai desciiption.
To be consideied denitive, any ieplacement seed samples must:
not be cleaily dieient fiom the denitive sample
confoim to the desciiption.
Legal status of cultivar descriptions
When a cultivai has been tested and found to be Distinct, Unifoim and Stable (DUS), it will
be desciibed accoiding to chaiacteis dened in inteinational oi national technical guidelines.
Te desciiption will be compiled fiom data iecoided on tiials giown foi the DUS test, and
will distinguish each cultivai fiom any othei cultivai whose existence is a mattei of common
knowledge at the time of the test application.
A cultivai must iemain tiue to its desciiption ovei iepeated iepioduction oi multiplication
to meet the iequiiement foi stability.
Te desciiption of the cultivai is theiefoie the legal basis foi iegistiation on a National List
oi foi gianting an awaid of Plant Bieedeis Rights.
National Lists
National Lists aie lists of cultivais of the main agiicultuial and vegetable species which aie
eligible foi ceitication and maiketing. Seed of cultivais cannot be maiketed if those cultivais
aie not iegisteied on a National List.
A cultivai can be added to a National List if it is distinct, suciently unifoim and stable
(DUS), and foi agiicultuial ciops, has a satisfactoiy value foi cultivation and use (VCU).
Genetically modied cultivais and mateiial intended foi use as food oi a food ingiedient have
additional iequiiements.
Plant Breeders Rights
A Plant Bieedeis Right (PBR) is a foim of intellectual piopeity iight gianted to the bieedei of a
new cultivai. Accoiding to this iight, ceitain acts conceining the exploitation of the piotected
cultivai iequiie the piioi authoiisation of the bieedei. Tis is a unique foim of piotection,
tailoied to piotect new cultivais, and has ceitain featuies in common with othei intellectual
piopeity iights.
Once a iight is gianted (undei the 1991 Act of the UPOV Convention), it is valid foi a
minimum of 25 yeais in the case of tiees and vines and foi 20 yeais in the case of othei ciops
in the teiiitoiy wheie it was gianted.
A cultivai will be gianted piotection if is distinct, unifoim, stable and novel (see Appendix
3), and has a name (technically a vaiiety denomination) acceptable undei the appiopiiate
legislation.

27
nvvvoIx : vun: Is mvn: sv oIs:It:vss, uIvoumI:v,
s:nsIII:v no ovvI:v
A. Distinctness
A cultivai is distinct if it is cleaily distinguishable by one oi moie chaiacteis, which aie capable
of a piecise desciiption, fiom any othei cultivai whose existence is a mattei of common
knowledge at the time of application foi test.
Common knowledge means that a cultivai:
is oi has been enteied in an ocial iegistei, such as a National List, in any countiy,
is oi has been the subject of a Plant Vaiiety Right in any countiy,
is undei consideiation in any countiy as an application foi Plant Bieedeis Rights oi foi
entiy in an ocial iegistei, piovided the application is subsequently successful,
is oi has been in cultivation, has been exploited foi commeicial puiposes, is held in a
iecognised iefeience collection oi has a piecise desciiption in any publication.
B. Uniformity
A cultivai is uniform if it is suciently unifoim in those chaiacteis which aie included in
the examination foi distinctness, subject to the vaiiation that may be expected fiom its
piopagation.
C. Stability
A cultivai is stable if those chaiacteis which aie included in the examination foi distinctness,
as well as otheis used foi the desciiption, iemain unchanged aftei iepeated piopagation, oi in
the case of a paiticulai cycle of piopagation, at the end of each cycle.
D. Novelty
A cultivai is novel if piopagating oi haivested mateiial has not been sold oi otheiwise disposed
of, foi the puipose of exploiting the cultivai, with the consent of the applicant:
eailiei than 1 yeai befoie the date of application in the UK,
eailiei than 4 yeais (6 yeais in the case of tiees and vines) befoie the date of application
outside the UK.

28
1( oIossnuv
Accepted name: the coiiect name foi any taxon, in accoidance with the iules in the Codes
of Nomenclatuie.
Article: a collection of associated iules and iecommendations in a Code of Nomenclatuie,
iules aie binding.
Author: the peison to whom a name oi publication is attiibuted. Te authois of plant names
aie sometimes iefeiied to as authoiities.
Author abbreviation: an abbieviated authois name used in an authoi citation, e.g. L. foi
Linnaeus.
Backcross: the cioss between a hybiid and one of its paients.
Basionym: the oiiginal name in which an epithet was ist published. Te species epithet
non-scripta was ist applied to the English bluebell as Scilla non-scripta, which iemains
the basionym even though the species is now called Hyacinthoides non-scriptus.
Binomial: the scientic name of a species, consisting of two woids. Te ist woid is the
name of the genus and the second is the epithet given to that species to distinguish it
fiom otheis in the genus. In the binomial (species name) Rosa canina, Rosa is the genus
name and canina is the species epithet.
Clone: a numbei of genetically identical individuals iesulting fiom asexual iepioduction.
Code: one of the Inteinational Codes of Nomenclatuie. It is impoitant always to consult the
most iecent editions.
Common (vernacular) name: the non-scientic name of a taxon in a modein language.
Conserved: a name contiaiy to the iules in eithei Code may be conseived if adopted as
coiiect by iuling of the body iesponsible foi such decisions (see section 8.2.2).
Conspecic: desciibes plants belonging to the same species.
Convar (convarietas): an infoimal categoiy foi cultivated plants sometimes placed among
the ianks of the taxonomic hieiaichy. It is not iecognised by eithei of the Codes of
Nomenclatuie.
Cultigen: a taxon believed to have oiiginated in cultivation.
Cultivar: a taxon of cultivated plants that is cleaily distinct, unifoim and stable in its
chaiacteis and which, when piopagated by appiopiiate means, ietains those chaiacteis.
Cultivar epithet: the nal element of a full cultivai name, enclosed in single quotation maiks
to distinguish it fiom the scientic name that piecedes it.
Te abbieviation cv. is no longei appioved undei the Cultivated Plant Code.
Cultivated Plant Series: a collective categoiy used as a maiketing device, which usually
(though by no means always) links moiphologically similai plants dieiing in a single
chaiactei such as owei oi leaf coloui. Being stiictly commeicial and often given
tiademaiks, they aie not goveined by eithei Code of Nomenclatuie. Not to be confused
with the botanical iank seiies, an optional subdivision of genus (see section 5.2).
29
Denomination class: a genus, species, Gioup oi othei taxon within which identical oi
similai cultivai names should not be used.
Diaeresis: a diaciitical sign () placed ovei the second of two consecutive vowels to indicate
that they aie to be pionounced sepaiately.
Diagnosis: a shoit statement, usually in Latin, which specically desciibes how a new
taxon dieis fiom similai, pieviously desciibed taxa. Can stand in place of a full Latin
desciiption foi a new taxon.
Eective publication: (foi names goveined by the Botanical Code) publication in a piinted,
widely distiibuted, publicly available book oi jouinal. Names goveined by the Cultivated Plant
Code aie desciibed as published if they appeai in books, jouinals oi tiade catalogues.
Epithet: the nal element of a species, Gioup oi cultivai name when consideied alone. In
the species name Malva moschata, the specic epithet is moschata, in the Gioup name
Solanum tuberosum Mainciop Gioup, the Gioup epithet is Mainciop Gioup, in the
cultivai name Malva moschata Pink Peifection, the cultivai epithet is Pink Peifection.
Establishment: publication of a Gioup oi cultivai name which is in accoidance with the
iules of the Cultivated Plant Code. See Chapteis 6 and 7, and Aiticle 24 of the Cultivated
Plant Code.
F
1

hybrid: the ist geneiation iesulting fiom ciossing dieient plants oi taxa, used moie
stiictly in plant bieeding foi the iesult of a iepeatable single cioss between two puie-bied
lines.
F
2
hybrid: a plant-bieeding teim foi the iesult of self-pollination within an F
1
population.
Family: the main iank into which ielated geneia aie giouped.
Forma (f., pluial formae): the iank below vaiietas (vaiiety) in the taxonomic hieiaichy, often
infoimally iefeiied to as foim.
Genus (pluial genera): the main iank between family and species in the taxonomic hieiaichy.
Graft-chimaera: a plant consisting of tissue fiom two oi moie species in intimate
association iesulting veiy infiequently fiom giafting.
Grex (gx, pluial greges oi infoimally grexes): a special type of Gioup, now used exclusively in
oichid nomenclatuie, applied to the piogeny of an aiticial cioss between known paients.
Group (Gp): a categoiy goveined by the Cultivated Plant Code encompassing plants (usually
named cultivais) which shaie ceitain dened chaiacteis. A Gioup does not have to
contain, oi be solely composed of, cultivais (see section 4.2).
Homonym: when two oi moie taxa have been given the same scientic name, these names
aie desciibed as homonyms. Te ist name published will noimally have piioiity (see
section 8.2.2).
Hybrid: the iesult of ciossing dieient plants oi taxa (see section 3.7).
Hybrid formula: the names of the paients of a hybiid linked by a multiplication sign, e.g.
Solanum nigrum x S. physalifolium (see section 3.7).
International Cultivar Registration Authority (ICRA): an oiganisation oi individual
iesponsible foi iegisteiing Cultivai and Gioup names foi a paiticulai taxon, usually a
family, genus, species oi othei denomination class. Teie aie foi example ICRAs foi
conifeis, Orchidaceae, Narcissus, Rhododendron and Prunus mume, among many otheis.
30
Legitimate name: a name published in accoidance with the iules set out in the Botanical Code.
Line: a plant-bieeding teim used to desciibe plants iesulting fiom self-feitilisation,
inbieeding oi iepeated selection.
Nomenclatural Standard: a heibaiium specimen, seed sample, illustiation oi othei
iefeience mateiial to which the name of a cultivai oi Gioup is peimanently attached.
Such mateiial should be maintained to demonstiate the diagnostic chaiacteis of the
cultivai in question.
Nomenclatural type: undei the Botanical Code a specimen on which the foimal desciiption
of a taxon is based. Tis is usually a heibaiium specimen and seives as the dening
iefeience point foi the coiiect application of the name in question (see section 9.2).
Plant Breeders Rights (PBR): a foim of intellectual piopeity (IP) iights gianted to the
bieedei of a new cultivai foi a ceitain peiiod, if the cultivai meets ceitain cleaily dened
ciiteiia.
Plant Patent: a foim of intellectual piopeity (IP) iights similai to Plant Breeders Rights.
Plant Variety Rights (PVR): a foim of intellectual piopeity (IP) iights similai to Plant
Breeders Rights.
Priority: an impoitant piinciple of nomenclatuie wheieby the eailiest valid publication of a
name takes piioiity ovei latei names (see section 8.1 and Chaptei 9).
Rank: one of the hieiaichical categoiies used in plant classication (see section 3.2).
Registration: the act of iegisteiing a Cultivai oi Gioup name by the appiopiiate
Inteinational Cultivai Registiation Authoiity.
Selling name: see Trade designation.
Sensu lato (s.l.): in the bioad sense (see section 3.3).
Sensu stricto (s.s.): in the naiiow sense (see section 3.3).
Series: see Cultivated Plant Series.
Species (sp., pluial species, spp.): the main iank below genus in the taxonomic hieiaichy.
Species epithet: the second pait of a binomial, the ist pait being the genus.
Standard Portfolio: the Nomenclatuial Standaid togethei with any additional mateiial such
as extia heibaiium specimens oi illustiations, desciiptions, details of iegistiation and
paientage, nuiseiy catalogues, and DNA data oi samples (see section 7.1).
Subspecies (subsp.): the main iank below species in the taxonomic hieiaichy.
Synonym: a valid name foi a taxon that is not cuiiently accepted, usually thiough
application of the Piinciple of Piioiity (see section 8.1).
Taxon (pluial taxa): a taxonomic gioup at any iank, e.g. genus, species, subspecies, vaiiety,
Gioup oi cultivai.
Trade designation: a name used to maiket a plant when the oiiginal cultivai epithet is
consideied unsuitable foi selling puiposes, not iecognised by eithei of the Codes of
Nomenclatuie. Also known as a selling name.
Trademark: a sign, usually made fiom woids, letteis, numbeis oi symbols, that identies the
goods of a paiticulai enteipiise, distinguishing them fiom the goods of its competitois.
31
Trinomial: a binomial followed by a thiid epithet with no indication of its iank (see section
3.6).
Type specimen: see Nomenclatural type.
UPOV (Union Internationale pour la Protection des Obtentions Vegetales): the Intei-
national Union foi the Piotection of New Vaiieties of Plants is an inteigoveinmental
oiganisation whose objective is the piotection of new vaiieties (cultivais) of plants by
intellectual piopeity iights.
Valid name: a name published in accoidance with the iules set out in the Codes of
Nomenclatuie.
Variant: an infoimal teim foi a plant oi gioup of plants which shows some chaiactei
dieiences fiom otheis in the same taxon.
Varietas (var.): the main iank between species and foima in the taxonomic hieiaichy.
Variety: an infoimal teim foi vaiietas (q.v.) but sometimes also used instead of cultivai. Te
distinction between vaiietas and cultivai is an impoitant one (see section 4.1).
Variety denomination: a cultivai epithet designated by a statutoiy authoiity.

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