Names of American vascular plants published in Loefling's Iter Hispanicum (1758) and its German translation (1766)

Abstract

Loefling's Iter Hispanicum (1758) and its subsequent translations, editions, issues, and facsimiles are analyzed for their impact on the nomenclature of American vascular plants. The book, edited by Linnaeus and posthumously published, contains descriptions of plants found in Venezuela (as well as in the Iberian Peninsula). For American plants the original volume (1758) is the source of 31 new genera, 15 new species, and one replaced name, and a German translation (1766) is the source of an additional two new species. Many of these nomenclatural innovations have been ignored, overlooked, or intentionally suppressed, some for centuries. Other names in the Iter Hispanicum have been misinterpreted. We examine the reasons for considering these 49 names to be validly published and the nomenclatural ramifications. In the interests of nomenclatural stability we are forced to conclude that the names of at least ten taxa described by Loefling should be rejected: Ayenia sidiformis Loefl., Cofer Loefl., Cruzeta Loefl., Cruzeta hispanica Loefl., Edechia inermis Loefl., E. spinosa L., Justicia putata Loefl., Menais Loefl., Muco Loefl., and Samyda parviflora Loefl. Likewise the names of two species described by Linnaeus that are tied to the Iter Hispanicum should be rejected: Menais topiaria L. and Spermacoce suffruticosa L. Finally, we select neotypes for Gaura fruticosa Loefl., Salvinia michelii Loefl., and Waltheria melochioides Loefl.

Revisiting the taxonomy of the Neotropical Haemodoraceae (Commelinales)

“…This statement makes it clear that Aublet had access to Loefling’s publication (1758) and knew of the description of his new genus Xiphidium . Finally, Dorr and Wiersema (2010) give the final support to our interpretation when they explain that in several instances, Loefling (1758) cited a genus published earlier by Linnaeus or P. Browne, followed by a full stop, (an) alternative generic name(s) and a description. The authors also point out that, on some occasions, this formatting has been misinterpreted as the proposal of species’ names (i.e., binary combinations), which they are not.…”

Typification of names of American species of vascular plants proposed by Linnaeus and based on Loefling's Iter Hispanicum (1758)

“…10, 2: 1153. 1759 Dorr & Wiersema, 2010a). The latter name, however, was rejected versus Bacopa Aubl.…”

“…Although Linnaeus received specimens from Loefling's Iberian collections, all of his New World specimens were lost, so Linnaeus had only Loefling's notes as a basis for these taxa. Confusion regarding the valid publication of the names of many taxa in the Iter Hispanicum (1758) and a German translation (Loefling, 1766) was recently clarified (Dorr & Wiersema, 2010a) and it led us to re-examine the typification of names Linnaeus based on this early contribution to American botany. Four of these names, Curatella americana L. (Dilleniaceae), Seguieria americana L. (Phytolaccaceae), Trichilia trifolia L. (Meliaceae), and Triplaris americana (Polygonaceae), have been neotypified previously, and two, Ayenia pusilla L. (Malvaceae) and Bontia germinans L. (Acanthaceae), have been lectotypified previously (see Jarvis, 2007).…”

“…The first Loefling reference is to the phrase name that was the basis for V. arborea (see above) and the second one is to "3. cALceoLAriA frutescens," which is taken to be a nomen nudum followed by the generic description of Calceolaria Loefl. (see Dorr & Wiersema, 2010a). The asterisk indicates that Linnaeus thought that a good description of V. arborea was to be found in Loefling (1758: 282) (see Jarvis, 2007: 26, 29 (1763) cited the monotypic "Hybanthus.…”

“…The first Loefling reference is to the phrase name that was the basis for V. arborea and the second one is to "3. cALceoLAriA frutescens," which is taken to be a nomen nudum followed by the generic description of Calceolaria Loefl. (see Dorr & Wiersema, 2010a). Being superfluous, V. hybanthus would be typified automatically on the type of one of the two names causing the superfluity (Art.…”