Validation of Rhododendron sparsifolium and Stewartia acutisepala, endemic to China

Abstract

While examining the specimens of the species endemic to China, we found that two names, viz Rhododendron sparsifolium (Ericaceae) and Stewartia acutisepala (Theaceae), were not validly published because in both cases more than one gathering was designated as the type. The names are validated here, with the flowering specimens designated as the holotypes.

Nomenclatural notes on Rhododendron sparsifolium (Ericaceae)

“…the type is indicated as follows (with correction of typographic errors such as missing spaces and commas used in place of full stops): “Sichuan : Hejiang , Fubaolinchang (, alt. 800–1000 m, 19–22 May 1981, Q. G. Tian et al , 2‐38, 3‐14, 1‐21 (Typus, SCFI).” Subsequent researchers may interpret this as if either all three gatherings were simultaneously indicated as the type (Jin et al 2009), or that the last gathering only (‘Q. G. Tian et al 1‐21’) was indicated as the type (Jin and Chen 1994).…”

“…This evidence demonstrate that the holotype intended in the protologue was ‘Xi‐Quan Luo et al 1‐21’ alone. Thus, the name R. sparsifolium was validly published in 1983 (Fang 1983) and the subsequent ‘validation’ of the name by Jin et al (2009) create an later isonym.…”

Editorial

“…However, Asiatic vascular plant taxonomy has been a major topic also in previous issues of Nordic Journal of Botany and in the last three volumes no less than 81 articles within this area have been published. The largest country in the region, both in terms of geography and ongoing research is undoubtedly China and naturally enough this is also reflected in the number of published articles (Häkkinen and Wang 2008a,b, Jin et al 2008, 2009a,b, Yi et al 2008, Zhang et al 2008, 2009, Bi et al 2009, 2010,Chen et al 2009a, 2009b, 2010, Dong et al 2009a,b, Jin 2009, Liu et al 2009, Yang et al 2009, Xia and Li 2009, Weng et al 2009, Cong et al 2010, Guo et al 2010, He et al 2010, Xu et al 2010, Wang et al 2010, Wei and Wang 2010). Second largest is India with 11 recent contributions (Banik and Sanjappa 2008, Baruah and Nath 2008, Raole and Desai 2008, Viswanathan and Manikandan 2009, Kandwal and Gupta 2010, Karthigeyan et al 2010a,b, Pusalkar and Singh 2010, Sujanapal and Sasidharan 2010, Tandyekkal and Mohanan 2010, Yadav et al 2010), but we have also published numerous significant contributions to our knowledge of the plant biodiversity of southeastern‐most Asia, i.e.…”

“…Several of these contributions deal with genera and families well known to be unique and characteristic components of the Asiatic flora. Thus, in the last three issues, four new taxa of bamboos have been described (Zhang et al 2008, Guo et al 2010, Trân et al 2010, Zhang and Li 2010), five new taxa of Magnolia and closely related genera (Yi et al 2008, Dong et al 2009b, Liao and Xia 2009, Liu et al 2009, Vu and Xia 2010), three new Rhodondron taxa (Jin et al 2009a,b, Chen et al 2010) and three new species of Zingiberaceae (Ngamriabsakul 2008, Li et al 2009, Sujanapal and Sasidharan 2010). It is also noteworthy that no less than six new taxa of the genus Impatiens have been discovered (Jin et al 2008, Bi et al 2009, 2010, Dong et al 2009a, Cong et al 2010).…”

“…Simultaneously, it is now and then revealed that taxa discovered and documented by earlier studies have never been formally described and named in accordance with the ‘International Code of Botanical Nomenclature’. Provided that it can be shown that such formally name‐less taxa do constitute biological entities of taxonomic significance the formal validation of previously invalidly published names do constitute important contributions to taxonomy (Xiang and Peng 2008, 2009, Jin et al 2009b, Jiang et al 2009, Delmail 2010). However, to be acceptable for publication in Nordic Journal of Botany both validations and uncontroversial synonymisations should be kept as short as possible.…”