International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants: Difference between revisions

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The '''''International Code of Botanical Nomenclature''''' (''ICBN'') is the set of rules and recommendations dealing with the formal [[botanical name]]s that are given to plants. Its intent is that each taxonomic group ("taxon", plural "taxa") of plants has only one [[correct name (botany)| correct name]], accepted worldwide. The value of a scientific name is that it is a label: it is not necessarily of descriptive value, or even accurate.

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Both these principles are regulated and limited. To avoid undesirable effects of priority [[conservation (botany)|conservation]] of a name is possible. Above the rank of family very few hard rules apply (e.g. see [[descriptive botanical names]]).

==<h4> Maintenance ==<h4>

The ''ICBN'' can only be changed by an [[International Botanical Congress]], although the '''[[International Association for Plant Taxonomy]]''' provides supporting infrastructure. The first more or less internationally accepted ''Code'' was the ''International Rules of Botanical Nomenclature'' of 1906, the "''Vienna Rules''". The "''Rules''" in the title were replaced by "''Code''" from 1952 onwards. The present ''Code'' is the "''St Louis Code''" (2000), available online. This is based on the decisions of the XVI IBC at St. Louis [[1999]].

The ''ICBN'' can only be changed by an [[International Botanical Congress]], although the '''[[International Association for Plant Taxonomy]]''' provides supporting infrastructure. The present ''Code'' is the "''St Louis Code''" (2000), available online. This is based on the decisions of the XVI IBC at St. Louis [[1999]]. The preceding ''Code'' was the "''Tokyo Code''" (1994), which is also available online. Following the XVII IBC in [[Vienna]] in [[2005]], the "''Vienna Code''" (2006) will be published. Each ''Code'' supersedes the earlier versions and is retroactive back to 1753 (except where expressly limited).

== Other ''Codes'' ==

Botanical nomenclature is independent of zoological and bacteriological nomenclature, which are governed by their own ''Codes'' (see [[Nomenclature Codes]]). However, it follows the same general principles including the use of a binary name (or binomial name, see [[binomial nomenclature]]) for each species. As such names are treated as if a Latin sentence, these [[scientific name]]s are sometimes called '[[Latin name]]s'.

== Relationship to taxonomy ==

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* If confusion is taxonomic (taxonomists differ in opinion on the circumscription or the relationships of taxa), then only more scientific research can settle this.

==<h4> See also ==<h4>

* [[International Code of Zoological Nomenclature]]

* [[Nomenclature]]

* [[Nomenclature Codes]]

==<h4> External links ==<h4>

* [http://www.botanik.univie.ac.at/iapt/ IAPT]