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Author citation (botany)
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In botanical nomenclature, author citation is the way of citing the person or group of people who validly published a botanical name, i.e. who first published the name while fulfilling the formal requirements as specified by the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN).[1] In cases where a species is no longer in its original generic placement (i.e. a new combination of genus and specific epithet), both the authority for the original genus placement and that for the new combination are given (the former in parentheses).

In botany, it is customary (though not obligatory) to abbreviate author names according to a recognised list of standard abbreviations.

There are differences between the botanical code and the normal practice in zoology. In zoology, the publication year is given following the author names and the authorship of a new combination is normally omitted. A small number of more specialized practices also vary between the recommendations of the botanical and zoological codes.

Introduction

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In biological works, particularly those dealing with taxonomy and nomenclature but also in ecological surveys, it has long been the custom that full citations to the place where a scientific name was published are omitted, but a short-hand is used to cite the author of the name, at least the first time this is mentioned. The author name is frequently not sufficient information, but can help to resolve some difficulties. Problems include:

  • The name of a taxon being referred to is ambiguous, as in the case of homonyms such as Darlingtonia Torr., a genus of carnivorous plants, vs. Darlingtonia DC., a genus of leguminous plants.
  • The publication of the name may be in a little-known journal or book. The author name may sometimes help to resolve this.
  • The name may not have been validly published, but the supposed author name may be helpful to locate the publication or manuscript in which it was listed.

Rules and recommendations for author citations in botany are covered by Articles 46–50 of the International Code of Nomenclature (ICN).[1] As stated in Article 46 of the botanical Code, in botany it is normal to cite only the author of the taxon name as indicated in the published work, even though this may differ from the stated authorship of the publication itself.

Basic citation

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The simplest form of author citation in botany applies when the name is cited in its original rank and its original genus placement (for binomial names and below), where the original author (or authors) are the only name/s cited, and no parentheses are included.

The Latin term "et" or the ampersand symbol "&" can be used when two authors jointly publish a name.[1]Recommendation 46C.1

In many cases the author citation will consist of two parts, the first in parentheses, e.g.:

  • Helianthemum coridifolium (Vill.) Cout.

This form of author citation indicates that the epithet was originally published in another genus (in this case as Cistus coridifolius) by the first author, Dominique Villars (indicated by the enclosing parentheses), but moved to the present genus Helianthemum by the second (revising) author (António Xavier Pereira Coutinho). Alternatively, the revising author changed the rank of the taxon, for example raising it from subspecies to species (or vice versa), from subgenus to Section, etc.[1]Article 49 (Again, the latter is in contrast to the situation in zoology, where no authorship change is recognized within family-group, genus-group, and species-group names, thus a change from subspecies to species, or subgenus to genus, is not associated with any change in cited authorship.)

Abbreviation

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When citing a botanical name including its author, the author's name is often abbreviated. To encourage consistency, the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants ICN recommends[1]Recommendation 46A, Note 1 the use of Brummitt & Powell's Authors of Plant Names (1992), where each author of a botanical name has been assigned a unique abbreviation.[2] These standard abbreviations can be found at the International Plant Names Index.[3]

For example, in:

the abbreviation "L." refers to the famous botanist Carl Linnaeus who described this genus on p. 492 of his Species Plantarum in 1753.

the abbreviation "Cham." refers to the botanist Adelbert von Chamisso and "Schldl." to the botanist Diederich Franz Leonhard von Schlechtendal; these authors jointly described this species (and placed it in the genus Rubus) in 1827.

Usage of the term "ex"

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When "ex" is a component of the author citation, it denotes the fact that an initial description did not satisfy the rules for valid publication, but that the same name was subsequently validly published by a second author or authors (or by the same author in a subsequent publication).[1]Article 46.4 However, if the subsequent author makes clear that the description was due to the earlier author (and that the earlier author accepted the name), then no "ex" is used, and the earlier author is listed alone. For example:

  • Andropogon aromaticus Sieber ex Schult.

indicates that Josef Schultes validly published this name (in 1824 in this instance), but his description attributed the name to Franz Sieber.

In botany, the author of the earlier name precedes the later, valid one. In zoology, the order is reversed. In bacteriology, the format becomes "(ex Earlier) Later".[4]: 4.B.(3) 

Examples

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The following forms of citation are all equally correct:

  • Rubus ursinus Cham. & Schldl.
  • Rubus ursinus Cham. et Schldl.
  • Rubus ursinus von Chamisso & von Schlechtendal
  • Rubus ursinus von Chamisso et von Schlechtendal

As indicated above, either the original or the revising author may involve multiple words, as per the following examples from the same genus:

  • Helianthemum sect. Atlanthemum (Raynaud) G.López, Ortega Oliv. & Romero García
  • Helianthemum apenninum Mill. subsp. rothmaleri (Villar ex Rothm.) M.Mayor & Fern.Benito
  • Helianthemum conquense (Borja & Rivas Goday ex G.López) Mateo & V.J.Arán Resó

Usage of the ancillary term "in"

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The ancillary term "in" is sometimes employed to indicate that the authorship of the published work is different from that of the name itself, for example:

  • Verrucaria aethiobola Wahlenb. in Acharius, Methodus, Suppl.: 17. 1803

Article 46.2 Note 1 of the Botanical Code indicates that in such cases, the portion commencing "in" is in fact a bibliographic citation and should not be used without the place of publication being included, thus the preferred form of the name+author alone in this example would be Verrucaria aethiobola Wahlenb., not Verrucaria aethiobola Wahlenb. in Acharius. (This is in contrast to the situation in zoology, where either form is permissible, and in addition a date would normally be appended.)

Authorship of subsidiary ranks

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According to the botanical Code it is only necessary to cite the author for the lowest rank of the taxon in question, i.e. for the example subspecies given above (Helianthemum apenninum subsp. rothmaleri) it is not necessary (or even recommended) to cite the authority of the species ("Mill.") as well as that of the subspecies,[1] though this is found in some sources. The only exception to this rule is where the nominate variety or subspecies of a species is cited, which automatically will inherit the same authorship of its parent taxon,[1]Article 26.1 thus:

  • Rosa gallica L. var. gallica, not "Rosa gallica var. gallica L."

Emending authors

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As described in Article 47 of the botanical code, on occasion either the diagnostic characters or the circumscription of a taxon may be altered ("emended") sufficiently that the attribution of the name to the original taxonomic concept as named is insufficient. The original authorship attribution is not altered in these cases, but a taxonomic statement can be appended to the original authorship using the abbreviation "emend." (for emendavit), as per these examples given in the Code:

  • Phyllanthus L. emend. Müll. Arg
  • Globularia cordifolia L. excl. var. (emend. Lam.).

(In the second example, "excl. var.", abbr. for exclusis varietatibus, indicates that this taxonomic concept excludes varieties which other workers have subsequently included.)

Other indications

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Other indications which may be encountered appended to scientific name authorship include indications of nomenclatural or taxonomic status (e.g. "nom. illeg.", "sensu Smith", etc.), prior taxonomic status for taxa transferred between hybrid and non-hybrid status ("(pro sp.)" and "(pro hybr.)", see Article 50 of the botanical Code), and more. Technically these do not form part of the author citation but represent supplementary text, however they are sometimes included in "authority" fields in less well constructed taxonomic databases. Some specific examples given in Recommendations 50A–F of the botanical Code include:

  • Carex bebbii Olney, nomen nudum (alternatively: nom. nud.)

for a taxon name published without an acceptable description or diagnosis

  • Lindera Thunb., Nov. Gen. Pl.: 64. 1783, non Adans. 1763

for a homonym—indicating in this instance that Carl Peter Thunberg's "Lindera" is not the same taxon as that named previously by Michel Adanson, the correspondence of the two names being coincidental

  • Bartlingia Brongn. in Ann. Sci. Nat. (Paris) 10: 373. 1827, non Rchb. 1824 nec F.Muell. 1882

as above, but two prior (and quite possibly unrelated) homonyms noted, the first by Ludwig Reichenbach, the second by Ferdinand von Mueller

  • Betula alba L. 1753, nom. rej.

for a taxon name rejected (normally in favour of a later usage) and placed on the list of rejected names forming an appendix to the botanical Code (the alternative name conserved over the rejected name would be cited as "nom. cons.")

  • Ficus exasperata auct. non Vahl

this is the preferred syntax for a name that has been misapplied by a subsequent author or authors ("auct." or "auctt.") such that it actually represents a different taxon from the one to which Vahl's name correctly applies

  • Spathiphyllum solomonense Nicolson in Am. J. Bot. 54: 496. 1967, "solomonensis"

indicating that the epithet as originally published was spelled solomonensis, but the spelling here is in an altered form, presumably for Code compliance or some other legitimate reason.

See also

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Specific to botany
More general

References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Author citation (botany)

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In botany, author citation is the standardized practice of appending the abbreviated name(s) of the individual(s) who validly published a scientific name for a taxon—such as a species or genus—to the name itself, enabling precise attribution and reference to the original description or diagnosis. This convention, governed by Article 46 of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN, the current edition known as the Madrid Code, published 2025), ensures nomenclatural stability by linking the name to its protologue, the publication where it was first validly established. The practice originated informally with Carl Linnaeus's introduction of binomial nomenclature in Species Plantarum (1753), where he began crediting prior authors, but it was formalized in Alphonse de Candolle's Lois de la Nomenclature Botanique (1867), the first international code for botanical naming. Author citations are mandatory in the protologues of new names, , or rank changes, but optional in other contexts, though they are recommended for clarity in . For a new , authorship is attributed to the person(s) responsible for both the name and the validating Latin or , provided they are unequivocally associated in the publication; otherwise, it defaults to the publisher of the work. Abbreviations follow standardized forms from Richard K. Brummitt and C. E. Powell's Authors of Plant Names (1992, reprinted 1996), with the (IPNI) serving as the current authoritative source; such as "L." for Linnaeus or "DC." for de Candolle, ensuring distinctiveness and avoiding ambiguity— for instance, the full citation for common daisy is L. When a name is transferred to a new (a new ), the citing —who makes the transfer—is credited separately, often in parentheses if the original author is retained, as in Lysimachia nummularia L. becoming nummularia (L.) G. Don. Special notations handle complex cases: "ex" indicates pre-starting-point publications (before 1753 for most ), as in Coffea arabica L. ex J. Hill, crediting an earlier informal proposal; joint authorship uses "et" (e.g., A. B. et C. D.); and emendations by later s are marked with "emend." or "corr." for corrections. For fungi, Chapter F of the ICN allows optional use of digital identifiers (e.g., [#12345]) from repositories like MycoBank instead of traditional citations after the protologue, though names remain required initially. Errors in citations, such as incorrect abbreviations, are typographical and correctable without affecting name validity, but accurate citation is essential for taxonomic research, databases like the (IPNI), and avoiding nomenclatural disputes. Overall, citation underscores the collaborative , honoring contributors while maintaining a universal framework for naming over 380,000 accepted plant species (as of 2025).

Fundamentals of Author Citation

Definition and Purpose

In , author citation refers to the standardized method of indicating the or who validly published a , thereby linking the name to its original or diagnosis in a scientific . This practice ensures that the name is associated with the individual(s) responsible for its establishment under the rules of the International Code of Nomenclature for , fungi, and (ICN). Valid publication requires elements such as a Latin , designation of a type, and publication in a scientific medium. The primary purpose of author citations is to attribute scientific credit to the originator of a name while promoting stability and in . By crediting authors, the system acknowledges contributions to the scientific record and facilitates the resolution of nomenclatural ambiguities, such as when names are transferred, revised, or conserved. This supports taxonomic revisions by allowing researchers to consult original works, verify priorities, and maintain consistency across global databases and literature. Historically, author citations evolved from Linnaean traditions, where Carl Linnaeus's (1753) introduced without formal author indications, but subsequent developments by figures like Alphonse de Candolle in his 1867 Lois de la Nomenclature Botanique formalized the need for attribution to prevent in an expanding body of work. The ICN's Article 46 codified these practices for author citations, emphasizing the role of publication date and valid over mere priority in authorship determination. Author citations are recommended in scientific publications for all taxonomic ranks to ensure attribution and traceability. Unlike the (ICZN), which focuses more on the first describer for priority, or the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP), which applies to and with different publication requirements, the ICN prioritizes the author of the validly published name, often tied explicitly to the date and place of publication. This botanical approach underscores the importance of the protologue—the original publication— in establishing and citing authorship, fostering a stable framework for naming approximately 380,000 accepted plant species (as of 2025).

Basic Citation Rules

In , author citations are placed immediately following the scientific name of the , separated by a single space, with the citation rendered in non-italicized to distinguish it from the italicized name itself. For example, the full citation for the English oak is L., where "L." denotes as the author. In the case of genera, the citation follows directly after the generic name, as seen in Pinus L. The International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN) provides under Article 46 rules for citing the author(s) responsible for a name in publications, attributing it to the person or persons who provided the validating description or diagnosis. This attribution ensures traceability to the original publication, even if the publication's overall authorship differs from the nomenclatural act. For subsequent combinations or transfers to new ranks, the authors of the (the original name) are enclosed in parentheses, followed by the author(s) of the new combination, again separated by a space and without additional such as commas. A representative example is (L.) H.., where Linnaeus authored the basionym and Karsten the combination. When multiple authors are involved, the ICN recommends connecting exactly two with an ("&") or "et" (Latin for "and"), while for three or more, the citation is abbreviated to the first author followed by "& al." or "et al." (meaning "and others"). This applies uniformly to both primary publications and combinations, as in (L.) H.Karst., though full listings may be used for precision in formal contexts. Orthographic standardization is also prescribed: authors' surnames are cited in their preferred romanized form if originally in non-Roman script, and noble prefixes (e.g., "de" or "von") are typically omitted unless integral to the name, such as in "Du Petit-Thouars." Specific endings like "f." indicate filial relationships, denoting a or continuing the father's work, as in "A. Rich. f." for Alfred Richard's . Exceptions to routine citation occur in limited cases under the ICN; for instance, no author citation is needed for tautonymous names (where the generic and specific epithets are identical, which are invalid at species rank), and for certain nomina conservanda (conserved names), the citation may be suppressed or reassigned by decision unless explicitly retained in the conservation proposal to preserve nomenclatural stability. These rules collectively ensure clarity and consistency in attributing botanical names while accommodating historical and practical nuances.

Standard Abbreviations

Standard abbreviations for author names in botanical citations are governed by established conventions to ensure consistency and unambiguity across publications. The primary reference is Authors of Plant Names by R. K. Brummitt and C. E. Powell (1992), published by the , which provides standardized forms for thousands of botanists' names, including full names, birth and death dates where known, and recommended abbreviations. The (IPNI) maintains an updated digital database adhering to these guidelines, serving as the authoritative online resource for . The International Code of Nomenclature for , fungi, and plants (ICN), in its latest edition effective from 2025, recommends using abbreviations from Brummitt and Powell (1992) or forms as close as possible thereto, emphasizing uniformity across languages. The Code (2025) maintains the core principles of author citations from previous editions with no substantive changes to Article 46. Abbreviations typically consist of the author's surname (or a contraction thereof) followed by initials for forenames, with periods after initials and sometimes after the surname component. For authors with a single forename, one initial is used (e.g., "L." for , reflecting his use of "Carolus" but standardized to a single initial). Authors with two forenames receive two initials (e.g., "A.Gray" for , combining first and middle initials), while those with three or more include all unless a clear for omission exists (e.g., "L.A.S.Johnson" for Lawrence Alexander Sidney Johnson). Surnames are abbreviated only if lengthy or to avoid ambiguity, such as contractions ending in a (e.g., "Adans." for ). These rules prioritize distinctiveness and stability, ensuring no two authors share the identical form. Common abbreviations illustrate these principles and are widely used in taxonomic literature. For instance, "DC." represents (often as A. P. de Candolle in full), where the particle "de" is omitted in the standard form; "Benth." denotes ; and "Hook.f." indicates (filius, son of the elder Hooker, abbreviated with the suffix for clarity). Such forms are drawn directly from Brummitt and Powell (1992) and verified in IPNI. Non-Western names follow the same abbreviation logic but account for cultural to maintain accuracy. Japanese surnames, for example, are often shortened to two syllables if longer (e.g., "Kitag." for Gen'ichi Kitagawa), while shorter ones like "Nakai" for Takenoshin Nakai remain unchanged. Transliterations ensure compatibility with Roman alphabets, avoiding alterations that could obscure identity. These practices, updated in IPNI, prevent confusion in global databases. Post-2021 editions of the ICN, including the 2025 Code, continue to endorse IPNI and Brummitt and Powell (1992) as core references, cautioning against pre-1992 lists that may contain inconsistencies or outdated forms. Researchers are advised to consult IPNI for the latest standardizations, as the database incorporates corrections and additions beyond the 1992 print edition. Special cases in abbreviation include gender-neutral treatment for women authors, with no markers or modifications (e.g., "E.L.Campbell" for Elizabeth L. Campbell, using standard initials and surname). Pseudonyms are abbreviated based on the published name, treating it as the operative identity (e.g., if an author published under a , that form is standardized separately if distinct). For joint works, each author's standard abbreviation is listed sequentially, connected by symbols like "&" or "et al." for multiples (e.g., "A.Gray & " for a collaboration between and George Bentham), reflecting shared responsibility without altering individual forms. These conventions build on basic placement rules by focusing on concise, verifiable shortening.
Author Full NameStandard AbbreviationNotes
L.Single initial; foundational for .
DC.Particle "de" omitted; common in early 19th-century works.
Benth.Surname contraction for brevity.
Takenoshin NakaiNakaiUnchanged short surname; Japanese convention.
A.GrayTwo initials; no indicator.

Authorship Indicators and Terms

The Role of "ex"

In , the term "ex" is employed to indicate indirect authorship, where a name is attributed to one individual but validly published by another, as specified in Article 46.10 of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN; Code, 2024). This notation credits the person who proposed or described the —often based on unpublished manuscripts or prior work—while recognizing the publishing author as the one who fulfilled the requirements for valid publication, such as providing a Latin and designating a type. For instance, in the citation tomentosum Nutt. ex Seem., Nuttall is credited for originating the name, but Seemann is the publishing author who ensured its validity under the Code. The use of "ex" emerged from 19th-century botanical practices, which sought to honor contributions from unpublished sources amid increasing international collaboration and the frequent posthumous or delayed publication of manuscripts. Prior to formal codification, botanists like those in the Linnaean tradition often relied on associates to publish names after an author's death or unavailability, leading to informal attributions that the ICN later standardized to avoid ambiguity. This convention became explicit in early codes, such as the 1867 Code, to distinguish posthumous credits without implying authorship, though it is optional and depends on the publishing author's intent to ascribe the name explicitly. Under ICN rules, "ex" is placed directly between the cited and publishing authors in the format "Cited Author ex Publishing Author," ensuring a clear sequence that differentiates indirect credit from direct co-authorship, where authors are linked by "et" or "&." Chaining multiple "ex" notations is prohibited, as is placing the same author on both sides of "ex" (Article 46.10), to maintain precision and prevent redundant or confusing citations. If the cited and publishing authors share at least one common individual, the cited authorship is accepted without "ex," simplifying the notation while upholding validity. These rules emphasize that "ex" applies only when the publication explicitly ascribes the name to another, distinguishing it from cases of mere inclusion. Common pitfalls in applying "ex" arise in modern databases and revisions, where inconsistencies can occur due to incomplete protologue details or outdated conventions. For example, the (IPNI) sometimes omits parentheses for basionym authors or lists misapplications as valid without "ex," requiring revisers to consult original literature for corrections. IPNI guidelines recommend retroactive application of "ex" in taxonomic revisions only when supported by the original publication's ascription, avoiding speculative additions that could alter historical attributions; users are advised to verify against the ICN to prevent such errors in digital records.

The Ancillary Term "in"

The ancillary term "in" in botanical author citations indicates that a taxonomic name was validly published within a larger work authored by a different person or persons, thereby providing bibliographic context without attributing validating responsibility to the publication's author. As noted in Article 46, Note 2, of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN; Code, 2024), when the authorship of a name differs from that of the publication in which it was validly published, both may be cited, with the name's author(s) connected to the publication author by "in", followed by the year; the publication author precedes this construction. For instance, the citation Carex kashmirensis C.B. Clarke in Hook. f. signifies that C.B. Clarke authored the name, but it appeared in Hooker filius's of British (volume 6, page 743, 1894). This term is applied primarily to contributions such as chapters or sections in edited books, multi-author journals, or collaborative volumes, where the name's creator is distinct from the overall editor or primary publisher. It serves not for establishing valid under ICN Article 38—which requires a or in a particular medium—but rather to clarify the and exact location of the original for researchers tracing nomenclatural history. Use of "in" is optional, as full bibliographic references can suffice, but it enhances precision in compact citations, especially in herbaria labels or databases. Unlike the term "ex", which denotes indirect authorship where one person provides a description or name that another validates (per ICN Article 46.10), "in" strictly denotes embedding within a publication and does not imply transfer of credit or validation responsibility. In modern botanical practice, "in" appears frequently in digital floras and online nomenclatural resources to accommodate collaborative authorship structures. For example, in listings of conserved names under ICN provisions (such as those in Appendices C and D), citations like Verrucaria aethiobola Wahlenb. in Acharius use "in" to specify the name's placement in Acharius's work while crediting Wahlenberg as the author.

Emending Authors

In , emendation refers to substantive post-publication changes to a taxon's , circumscription, or descriptive elements without altering its name or type. These modifications allow taxonomists to refine or expand the understanding of a based on new evidence, while preserving its original nomenclatural status. Under the current Madrid Code (2024), the rules remain consistent with prior editions for these indicators. Under Article 47.1 of the International Code of Nomenclature for , fungi, and (ICN; Code, 2024), such alterations do not affect the name's validity or ship, but significant changes are indicated by appending "emendavit" (abbreviated "emend.") followed by the emending 's name. The original is retained in the citation, with the emender added to acknowledge their contribution, as in L. emend. R. Br. or L. emend. Coss. & Germ. This format integrates into subsequent citations, including new combinations where parentheses may enclose the authors if the emendation predates the transfer. The emendation process requires effective and valid of the changes, including an explicit statement detailing the modifications, and it primarily applies to genera and rather than lower ranks. Unlike establishing a new , which demands a full validating and , an emendation modifies an existing one without necessitating revalidation or a new citation from scratch. It differs from new combinations, which employ "comb. nov." to denote a transfer under a different while citing the original authors in parentheses. Historically, emendations were common in early 20th-century botanical revisions, particularly in regional floras, to incorporate new distributional or morphological data; for example, M. L. Fernald provided numerous emendations to the seventh edition of Gray's Manual of Botany (1908) in a 1909 Rhodora article, refining species concepts across North American taxa. Such practices ensured nomenclatural stability amid expanding collections and field observations.

Authorship in Taxonomic Contexts

Subsidiary Ranks

In , author citations for infraspecific ranks, such as varieties and , are optional but, when provided, consist of the author (the author of the original species name) enclosed in parentheses, followed by the author who established the infraspecific rank. This structure ensures clarity in attributing responsibility for the combination while distinguishing the original species publication from the subordinate rank. According to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and (ICN), Article 26 governs the formation and citation of these names, emphasizing that the citation reflects the valid publication of the infraspecific epithet under the existing species name. For instance, in Quercus robur L. subsp. petraea (Matt.) Liebl., Linnaeus is cited as the author for the species, while Liebl. (Johann Friedrich Jacob Lieblein) established the rank. For infrageneric ranks, including sections, series, and subsections, author citations follow principles analogous to those at the species level, with the author of the infrageneric name cited directly after the genus name. However, if the infrageneric taxon is based on a preexisting species, the citation incorporates the basionym author in parentheses, followed by the author of the infrageneric combination. Sectional authors are cited separately only when the sectional name is published independently of the species authorship, avoiding redundancy in attributions. The ICN applies these rules consistently across subordinate ranks to maintain nomenclatural stability, as outlined in its provisions for supraspecific and infrageneric taxa. An example is Carex sect. Vignea (P. Beauv. ex T. Lestib.) Tuck., where P. Beauv. ex T. Lestib. authored the original name, and Tuck. made the transfer or combination. Hybrid notations at subsidiary ranks incorporate the multiplication sign × to denote hybridity, with authors cited for the nothotaxon according to the ICN's provisions for hybrids (formerly Appendix 1, now Chapter H). For nothospecies and lower hybrid ranks like nothovarieties or nothosubspecies, the citation includes the author who validly published the hybrid name, often referencing the parental taxa's authors in the hybrid formula. Subsidiary hybrids specifically cite the authors of the parental elements when the hybrid rank is established below the nothospecies level, ensuring traceability to the origins of the hybrid lineage. The ICN specifies that the × precedes the nothotaxon name, and parentage is indicated by formula (e.g., Parent1 × Parent2), with authors appended as needed. For example, Carex × flavicans nothovar. substans (Lepage) Danylyk & Cayouette cites the author of the nothospecies, with Danylyk & Cayouette establishing the nothovariety from parental contributions. Special cases in subsidiary ranks include autonyms, which require no author citation since they automatically repeat the higher rank's epithet and include its type, as per ICN Article 26.1; for instance, Pinus sylvestris L. var. sylvestris omits citation entirely. In rank elevations, such as promoting a subspecies to species status without altering the epithet, the original author is retained, with the elevating author added as the combiner in parentheses if applicable, preserving the nomenclatural link to the basionym under ICN guidelines. Emendations of subsidiary ranks briefly tie into these rules by citing the emending author after the original citation when the description is significantly altered.

Other Authorship Notations

In , notations beyond standard authorship abbreviations address specialized scenarios to ensure clarity and historical accuracy in taxonomic citations. One such notation involves orthographic variants or misapplications, where the term "" (Latin for "in the sense of") is employed to specify the interpretation of a name as used by a particular author, particularly when the original application differs from the current one. According to Recommendation 50A.1 of the International Code of Nomenclature for , fungi, and plants (ICN), this allows an author to cite the relevant prior usage, such as " L. Rehder," indicating Rehder's circumscription rather than Linnaeus's, thereby resolving ambiguities without altering the formal authorship. This recommendation emphasizes its role in synonymy lists or discussions of taxonomic history, promoting precise communication while distinguishing it from direct authorship indicators like "ex" or "in." For names that have been rejected or suppressed to maintain nomenclatural stability, the ICN provides specific handling through Appendix B, which lists conserved names (nomina conservanda) and their corresponding rejected counterparts (nomina rejicienda). When citing such rejected names in synonymies, the original author's name is retained to document the historical proposal, as required under Article 14 for conservation decisions by the . For example, in cases of homonymy or misleading priority, a suppressed name like "Aspidium lonchitis L. nom. rej." is formatted with its authoring citation, highlighting the rejection while preserving traceability to the proposer's work. This notation underscores the balance between stability and historical record, with rejected names lacking standing in but cited for context in taxonomic treatments. Anonymous publications pose unique challenges in authorship attribution, addressed in ICN Article 46, Note 1, which states that a taxon's name is generally attributed to the author(s) of the publication in which it validly appears unless provisions of the article specify otherwise. For truly anonymous works, the name may initially be cited with "anon." to indicate lack of identified authorship, but subsequent valid attribution to a specific botanist—upon discovery or ascription—replaces this, following Article 46.2 for cases where the validating description is provided later. This approach ensures names from older, unattributed texts, such as certain 18th-century floras, receive proper credit without disrupting priority rules. Corporate or committee-based authorship is another specialized notation, recognized under ICN Article 46 for collective efforts where no single individual is responsible, such as multi-author floras. The full committee name serves as the author citation, exemplified by the "Flora of North America Editorial Committee" for taxa validated in their volumes, abbreviated as "Flora of North America Editorial Committee" or "FNA Editorial Committee" in subsequent references. This format applies when the committee collectively provides the description or diagnosis, treating the group as a single authoring entity to reflect collaborative botanical projects accurately. The advent of digital publications has introduced notations for online resources, formalized in the 2012 Melbourne Code amendments to the ICN (effective for works published after 1 January 2012), which validate electronic-only outputs meeting criteria like /ISBN assignment and archival stability. Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) are now routinely included in citations for such publications to ensure persistent access, appended after the bibliographic details without modifying the core author format, as seen in examples like "Author A (2020) New species. Journal DOI:10.1234/abcd." This update facilitates modern taxonomic work while maintaining consistency in authorship notation across print and .

Illustrative Examples

Simple Author Citations

Simple author citations in botanical nomenclature consist of the abbreviated name(s) of the author(s) who validly published a taxon name, placed immediately after the scientific name without italics or punctuation other than necessary connectors. According to Article 46 of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN), such citations attribute the name to the person or persons responsible for both the name and its validating description or diagnosis, ensuring traceability to the original publication. The year of publication is typically included in full bibliographic references but omitted in the inline citation unless context requires it for disambiguation. For a single author, the citation follows the binomial or uninomial directly, using a standardized from Brummitt and Powell's Authors of Plant Names. A classic example is L., where "L." denotes , who validly published the name in volume 1, page 491, in 1753. This placement honors the author who established the taxon while distinguishing it from later synonyms or transfers. When two authors jointly publish a name, their abbreviated names are connected by "&" (or "et" in Latin contexts) in the order they appear in the , per Recommendation 46C of the ICN. For instance, Arabis blepharophylla Hook. & Arn. credits and George Arnott Walker-Arnott for the joint description in The Botany of Captain Beechey's Voyage page 321, in 1837. In cases of joint publication, the citation reflects shared responsibility without qualifiers. In transfers of names to new genera, the basionym author citation is enclosed in parentheses, followed by the transferring author's abbreviation. A representative case is Picea abies (L.) H. Karst., where the basionym Pinus abies L. (from Linnaeus's Species Plantarum volume 2, page 1002, 1753) is transferred to Picea by Henrik Karsten in Deutsche Flora volume 2-3, page 325, in 1881. This format preserves the original authorship while crediting the combiner. Common errors in simple citations include italicizing author names, which should remain in to distinguish them from the italicized scientific name (e.g., correctly Matricaria chamomilla L., not Matricaria chamomilla L.), and omitting spaces between the scientific name and author (e.g., Rosa caninaL. instead of Rosa canina L.). Such mistakes can hinder accurate indexing and retrieval in databases like the .

Complex Multi-Author Cases

In , complex multi-author citations arise when multiple individuals contribute to the validation, , or revision of a name, often involving qualifiers like "ex," "in," and "emend." to denote indirect authorship or subsequent alterations. The "ex" qualifier specifies that one or more authors proposed or described a name, but another validly published it, crediting the original contributor while attributing publication to the validating author. For instance, in Gossypium tomentosum , Nuttall provided the name and description, but Seemann validly published it in Flora Vitiensis page 22, in 1865. This format ensures precise attribution in cases where manuscripts or descriptions predate formal publication. The "in" term is used when a name is published within the work of another author, typically requiring a bibliographic reference for clarity, especially in collaborative or embedded publications. An example is Carex continua C.B. Clarke in Hook.f., Fl. Brit. India 6: 717. 1894, where Clarke authored the name, but it appeared in Hooker's broader flora. When combined with emendations—revisions to a taxon's circumscription or position—"emend." follows the original author(s) to credit the modifier. For genera, this might appear as Quercus L. emend. Small, signifying Small's alteration of Linnaeus's original without creating a new name. Such emendations maintain nomenclatural stability while acknowledging substantive changes. Subsidiary ranks, such as subspecies, often integrate complex citations by combining parenthetical basionyms with multiple authors and qualifiers. In Helianthemum origanifolium subsp. conquense (Borja & Rivas Goday ex G. López) Rivas Mart., A. Fernández, Saénz & G. López, the basionym authors Borja and Rivas Goday proposed the name (validated by López), while Rivas Mart. et al. combined it at subspecies rank, illustrating layered indirect credit across ranks. Another case is Craspedolobium unijugum (Gagnep.) Z. Wei & Pedley, where Gagnepain's basionym Millettia unijuga (1913) is cited parenthetically, followed by the combining authors Wei and Pedley in Fl. China 10: 189, 2010 for the new generic placement at species rank. These notations extend to infraspecific levels, as in Quercus robur L. subsp. robur, where Linnaeus is cited for both the species and subspecies if unchanged. Real-world applications appear in conserved names under the International Code of Nomenclature (ICN), where multi-author complexities ensure stability amid revisions. For example, Colebrookea oppositifolia Sm. reflects conserved usage, aiding resolution in taxonomic disputes. The 2024 Madrid Nomenclature Section reinforced these practices by clarifying author citations in conserved fungal and algal names, emphasizing full multi-author attribution to prevent in global databases.
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