Plant nomenclature

Botanical nomenclature is a complicated discipline about how the plant names should be given and assessed. It is regulated by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature that is an actively developing body of rules, open to changes and improvements. Special committees are set up at the International Association for Plant Taxonomy to follow the trends in plant nomenclature and to work out particular difficult cases. Currently I am Chair of Nomenclature Committee for Vascular Plants, assessing the cases in ferns and seed plants.

The most difficult nomenclatural cases require special bibliographic studies with evaluation of all nomenclatural acts according to the current Code. Such studies result in decisions on validity and legitimacy of names, with respective actions when needed.

The assessments of nomenclatural cases have a feedback of tasting how successfully and correctly the current rules of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature reflect the needs of the botanical community. If and when needed, the proposals to amend the rules are elaborated and voted upon.

Nomenclatural studies and proposals on the Code changes are published in Taxon, an official periodical of the International Association for Plant Taxonomy.