Botanical nomenclatural query

[Thomas Lammers]

Names have priority only in their rank.  Priority does not extend to other
ranks.  This taxon had no name available at specific rank.  So there was no
impediment to creating a totally new epithet at species rank.  In fact
sometimes, it MUST be done, as the varietal epithet is preoccupied at
specific rank.  The names are homotypic (nomenclatural) synonyms of each
other.   I've done this myself.

At 10:02 AM 3/29/02 -0500, Mike Vincent wrote:
>Dear Botanical TAXACOM members:
>
>A debate has been raging among some botanists about whether a certain taxon
>was validly published, with some having very strong opinions that it was
>and others having equally strong opinions that it was not, so I thought I'd
>run it past TAXACOM members...
>
>About a decade ago, a botanist published a new variety of plant, and the
>variety was validly and effectively published, with Latin diagnosis and
>type designated, so there is no problem with that name at that rank.
>
>A few years later, a very prominent botanist decided that the taxon
>deserved specific rank.  He decided that the varietal epithet was not
>appropriate for the species, and coined a new epithet for the species,
>calling it a "nom. et stat. nov."  He made clear and direct reference to
>the varietal name and its publication, and the same type was used.  The
>new name was published effectively.
>
>The debate has been over whether this was a valid way to publish the new
>species name.  Things would have been simple if the varietal epithet had
>simply been raised to the new rank, which then would have been a "comb. nov."
>
>Can I have opinions about the validity of the "nom. et stat. nov."?
>
>(My own opinion is that it was validly published...)
>
>Thanks.
>M.A. Vincent
>
>Dr. Michael A. Vincent, Curator
>W.S. Turrell Herbarium (MU)
>Department of Botany
>Miami University
>Oxford, Ohio 45056 USA
>
>TEL:  513-529-2755
>FAX:  513-529-4243
>Email:  Vincenma at muohio.edu

Thomas G. Lammers, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor and Curator of the Herbarium (OSH)
Department of Biology and Microbiology
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901-8640 USA

e-mail:       lammers at uwosh.edu
phone:      920-424-1002
fax:           920-424-1101

Plant systematics; classification, nomenclature, evolution, and biogeography
of the Campanulaceae s. lat.

Webpages:
http://www.uwosh.edu/departments/biology/Lammers.htm
http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Resort/7156/lammers.html
http://www.uwosh.edu/departments/biology/herbarium/herbarium.html
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Today's mighty oak is yesterday's nut that stood his ground."
                                                               -- Anonymous