Native Plants Journal - Article

Why are plant names changing so much?

Abstract:

The scientific names of plants continue
to change, seemingly at a faster rate than
ever, which challenges the broad and
diverse group of users of those names.
Why do names change? Some changes
are nomenclatural, while the majority
result from new research and judgments
about the taxonomy of plants. A variety
of factors contribute to the level of
changes. Traditional plant taxonomists
continue to discover plants and reclassify
those already known. New molecular
phylogenetic techniques provide new
data that clarifies taxonomy, especially at
the level of the genus and above, resulting
in changes in the circumscription of
genera. A more worldwide community
of plant taxonomy has emerged, fostered
by the Internet, and taxonomic
studies have broader geographic pera
spectives, resulting in changed opinions
about relationships and more rapid communication
of those changes. In the art of
plant taxonomy, the "splitters" have largely
regained influence, after a period of
several decades in which "lumpers" were
generally in the ascendancy, at least in
North America.The result is a large number
of name changes in plants, challenging
many users, particularly those who are
not professional taxonomists-land managers,
ecologists, gardeners, and conservationists.
A greater effort by authors of
floras and other products designed for
use by the broad botanical community
should make the effort to communicate
the changes and reasons behind them.

Issue & Pages:

Spring 2005 Pages: 52-58

Article Download:

6-1NPJ52-58.pdf (PDF document)

Authors:

• Alan S Weakley

Keywords:

plant nomenclature, molecular phylogenetics, floras