A Proposal for the Amendment of Article 53.3 Ex. 9
(ICBN, Vienna Code, 2006)
Tseng-Chieng Huang
(1), Ming-Jou Wu
(2), Shing-Fan Huang
(3,4)(Manuscript received 20 May, 2007; accepted 10 July, 2007)
ABSTRACT: There are 167 taxa listed in the Flora of Taiwan, 2nd edition, with epithets of [formosa]
and its derivatives, and [formosensis] in the different taxonomic ranks
which literaturaly designate
the island of Taiwan.
Namely these are 2 formosae, 103 formosana, 42 formosanum, 11 formosanus, 1
formosense and 8 formosensis. In order to avoid confusion in using the epithets of formosae, formosana,
formosanum, formosanus, formosense and formosensis for Formosan (Taiwan) plants under the same
genus, we propose to amend Art. 53.3 Ex. 9 with addition of a phrase [formosae, formosana,
formosanum, formosanus, formosense and formosensis for native and endemic plants on Taiwan only]
to the end of the sentence of Article 53.3 Ex. 9 of International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN,
Vienna Code, 2006).
KEY WORDS: nomenclature, epithets formosa and derivatives, amend, ICBN, Art. 53.3 Ex. 9.
INTRODUCTION
The word [Formosa] is well known as a
geographical name for Taiwan Island by westerners
for a long time since [Formosa] was used by a
Portuguese explorer. [Formosa] is an adjective
meaning “beautiful” in Latin, and [formosensis] is a
geographical word for the Island of Taiwan in Latin.
Hence, they are two words with
different meaning.
The epithet [formosa] or its derivatives used as a
name for native or endemic plants of Taiwan
(Boufford et al., 2003, Appendix 1) literally
designate the Island of Taiwan by Taiwanese and
Japanese taxonomists and by most western botanists,
e.g., Poa formosae Ohwi. However, the epithet
[formosa] or its derivatives used in naming plants
outside of Taiwan indicate the word “beautiful” by
western taxonomists, e.g., Lespedeza thunbergii
(DC.) Nakai subsp. formosa (Vogel) H. Ohashi. In
Article 53.3 Example 9 of the International Code of
Botanical Nomenclature states “Epithets so similar
that they are likely to be confused if combined under
the same generic or specific name: chinensis and
sinensis; ceylanica and zelanica; napaulensis,
nepalensis, and nipalensis; polyanthemos and
__________________________________________
1. Institute of Plant Biology, National Taiwan University, 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 106, Taiwan.
2. Graduate Institute of Biological Resources and Technology, National Hualien University of Education, 123, Huahsi Road, Hualien 970, Taiwan.
3. Department of Applied Science, National Hsinchu University of Education, 521, Nanda Road, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan.
4. Corresponding author.Email: sfhuang4898@mail.nhcue.edu.tw
polyanthemus; macrostachys and macrostachyus;
heteropus and heteropodus; poikilantha and
poikilanthes; pteroides and pteroideus; trinervis and
trinervius; macrocarpon and macrocarpum;
trachycaulum and trachycaulon” (McNeill et al.,
2006). In order to avoid the possible confusion
regarding epithet [formosa] in Taiwan’s plants, the
survey of taxa applied with [formosa] and its
derivatives were undertaken, and we proposed to
amend the Article 53.3 Ex. 9 of international code
(Vienna Code, 2006) of botanical nomenclature.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A checklist (Appendix 1) with epithet [formosa]
and its derivatives including formosae, formosana,
formosanum, formosanus, formosense, formosensis
was compiled by checking the following two
literatures: Flora of Taiwan 2nd ed. (Bufford et al.,
2003) and International Plant Names Index (2004),
which includes the data sources of Index Kewensis,
Gray Card Index and Australian Plant Name Index:
By searching the internet website:
http://www.ipni.org.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Totally there are 2 formosae, 103 formosana, 42
formosanum, 11 formosanus, 1 formosense and 8
formosensis listed in the Flora of Taiwan, 2nd edition
(Tables 1 & 2). All these words designate the Island
Table 1. Number of different epithets in different generic and infrageneric ranks and in different classes (Boufford et al., 2003). class
taxa Pteridophytes Gymnosperms Dicots Monocots Total no.
species 11 3 83 36 133
subspecies 0 0 6 1 7
variety 1 4 17 4 26
forms 0 0 1 0 1
Total no. 12 7 107 41 167
Table 2. Number of different epithets in different classes (Boufford et al., 2003). class
epithet Pteridophytes Gymnosperms Dicots Monocots Total no.
formosae 1 0 0 1 2 formosana 5 6 70 22 103 formosanum 6 0 25 11 42 formosanus 0 0 5 6 11 formosense 0 0 1 0 1 formosensis 0 1 6 1 8 Total no. 12 7 107 41 167
of Taiwan. Among the list, Elaeagnus formosana
Nakai published in 1916 and Elaeagnus formosensis
Hatusima published in 1952 could be confused since
they are all derived from [formosa] designating the
Island of Taiwan.
In order to avoid confusion in the application of
the epithets, including formosae, formosana,
formosanum, formosanus, formosense and
formosensis, for Formosan (Taiwan) plants under the
same genus, we propose to amend the Article 53.3
Examples 9 as follows: “Epithets so similar that they
are likely to be confused if combined under the same
generic or specific name: chinensis and sinensis;
ceylanica and zelanica; napaulensis, nepalensis, and
nipalensis; polyanthemos and polyanthemus;
macrostachys and macrostachyus; heteropus and
heteropodus; poikilantha and poikilanthes; pteroides
and pteroideus; trinervis and trinervius; macrocarpon
and macrocarpum; trachycaulum and trachycaulon;
formosae, formosana, formosanum, formosanus,
formosense and formosensis for native and endemic
plants of Taiwan only”.
The concise statement of this article will be
submitted to Taxon as a formal proposal for
consideration by the Nomenclature Section of the
XVIII International Botanical Congress in Melborne,
Australia in August, 2011.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The advice from Prof. Robert Folger Thorne
(RSAB) is greatly appreciated. To Ms. Shiu-Yu Yang,
we are thankful for her compiling and checking the list
of epithets.
LITERATURE CITED
Boufford, D., E. H. Ohashi, T.-C. Huang, C.-F.
Hsieh, J.-L. Tsai, K.-C. Yang, C.-I Peng, C.-S.
Kuoh and A. Hsiao. 2003. A Checklist of the
Vascular Plants of Taiwan. In: Huang, T.-C. et al.
(eds.), Flora of Taiwan, 2nd ed. 6: 18-139.
Editorial Committee, Dept. Bot., NTU, Taipei,
Taiwan.
McNeill, J., F. R. Barrie, H. M. Burdet, V. Demoulin,
D. L. Hawksworth, K. Marhold, D. H. Nicolson,
J. Prado, P. C. Silva, J. E. Skog, N. J. Turland,
and J. H. Wiersema. 2006. International Code of
Botanical Nomenclature (Vienna Code), adopted
by the Seventeenth International Botanical
Congress Vienna, Austria, July, 2005. A. R. G.
Gantner Verlag KG [Regnum Vegetabile volume
146].
The International Plant Names Index. 2004.
Published on the Internet http://www.ipni.org
[accessed 2 May, 2007].
Appendix 1. A list of Taiwan’s vascular plants with epithets related to [Formosa] and its derivatives compiled from the Flora of Taiwan, 2nd edition (Boufford et al., 2003). Boldface as accepted names and italic as synonyms.
I. PTERIDOPHYTA
Adiantum formosanum Tagawa Antrophyum formosanum Hieron. Asplenium formosae H. Christ
Botrychium formosanum Tagawa sensu C. M. Kuo
Diplazium formosanum Rosenst. Dryopteris formosana (H. Christ) C. Chr. Loxogramme formosana Nakai Plagiogyria formosana Nakai Polypodium formosanum Baker Polystichum formosanum Rosenst. Pteris formosana Baker
Woodwardia orientalis Sw. var. formosana Rosenst.
II. GYMNOSPERMA Amentotaxus formosana Li
Calocedrus macrolepis Kurz var. formosana (Florin) Cheng & Fu Chamaecyparis formosensis Matsum.
Chamaecyparis obtusa Siebold & Zucc. var. formosana (Hayata) Rehder Juniperus formosana Hayata
Keteleeria davidiana (Franchet) Beissner var. formosana Hayata
Tsuga chinensis (Franch.) Pritz. ex Diels var. formosana (Hayata) Li & H. Keng
IIIA. DICOTYLEDONS
Acer buergerianum Miq. var. formosanum (Hayata) Sasaki
Aconitum fukutomei Hayata var. formosanum (Tamura) T. Y. A. Yang & T. C. Huang Adenia formosana Hayata
Adinandra formosana Hayata var. obtusissima (Hayata) H. Keng Aglaia formosana Hayata
Alnus formosana (Burkill ex Forbes & Hemsl.) Makino
Angelica dahurica (Fisch.) Benth. & Hook. var. formosana (Boiss.) K. Y. Yen et al. Arabis formosana (Masam. ex S. F. Huang) T. S. Liu & S. S. Ying
Argyreia formosana Ishigami ex Yamaz. Aster formosanus Hayata
Astronia formosana Kaneh Begonia formosana (Hayata) Masam.
Begonia formosana (Hayata) Masam. f. albomaculata T. S. Liu & M. J. Lai Berchemia formosana C. K. Schneid.
Boehmeria formosana Hayata Callicarpa formosana Rolfe
Callicarpa formosana Rolfe var. glabrata T. T. Chen, S. M. Chaw & Yuen P. Yang Callicarpa formosana Rolfe var. longifolia Suzuki
Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze f. formosensis Kitam.
Capparis sikkimensis Kurz subsp. formosana (Hemsl.) Jacobs Cardiandra formosana Hayata
Castanopsis formosana (Skan) Hayata Celtis formosana Hayata
Cerastium formosanum Ohwi Chenopodium formosanum Koidz.
Chrysosplenium lanuginosum Hook. f. & Thomson var. formosanum (Hayata) H. Hara Clematis formosana Kuntze
Cnidium monnieri (L.) Gusson var. formosanum (Yabe) Kitag. Cochlearia formosana Hayata
Comanthosphace formosana Ohwi
Crateva adansonii DC. subsp. formosensis Jacobs Cuscuta japonica Choisy var. formosana (Hayata) Yunck. Cynanchum formosanum (Maxim.) Hemsl. ex Forbes & Hemsl. Dischidia formosana Maxim.
Elaeagnus formosana Nakai
Elaeagnus formosensis Hatus sensu T. C. Huang
Entada pursaetha DC. var. formosana (Kaneh.) F. C. Ho Euchresta formosana (Hayata) Ohwi
Excoecaria formosana (Hayata) Hayata
Farfugium japonicum (L.) Kitam. var. formosanum (Hayata) Kitam Ficus formosana Maxim.
Ficus formosana Maxim. f. shimadae Hayata Galium formosense Ohwi
Gentiana davidii Franch. var. formosana (Hayata) T. N. Ho
Glycine max (L.) Merr. subsp. formosana (Hosok.) Tateishi & H. Ohashi Gynura divaricata (L.) DC. subsp. formosana (Kitam.) F. G. Davies Hedera rhombea (Miq.) Bean var. formosana (Nakai) H. L. Li Helicia formosana Hemsl
Heliotropium formosanum I. M. Johnst.
Helwingia japonica (Thunb.) Dietr. subsp. formosana (Kaneh. & Sasaki) H. Hara & S. Kuros. Hypericum formosanum Maxim.
Ilex formosana Maxim.
Lasianthus formosensis Matsum.
Lepidagathis formosensis C. B. Clarke ex Hayata Liquidambar formosana Hance
Mallotus paniculatus (Lam.) Müll. Arg. var. formosanus (Hayata) Hurus. Marsdenia formosana Masam.
Medinilla formosana Hayata
Michelia compressa (Maxim.) Sargent var. formosana Kaneh. Mitella formosana (Hayata) Masam.
Nemosenecio formosanus (Kitam.) B. Nord. Notoseris formosana (Kitam.) C. Shih Ormosia formosana Kaneh.
Oxalis acetosella L. subsp. griffithii (Edgew. & Hook. f.) H. Hara var. formosana S. F. Huang & T. C. Huang Pachycentria formosana Hayata
Palaquium formosanum Hayata
Paraphlomis formosana (Hayata) T. H. Hsieh & T. C. Huang Pasania formosana (Skan ex Forbes & Hemsl.) Schottky Patrinia formosana Kitam.
Peucedanum formosanum Hayata Phoebe formosana (Hayata) Hayata Pogostemon formosanus Oliv. Reevesia formosana Sprague Rhamnus formosana Matsum. Rhododendron formosanum Hemsl. Rhynchotechum formosanum Hatus. Ribes formosanum Hayata
Rubus formosensis Kuntze Salvia formosana (Murata) Yamaz.
Salvia formosana (Murata) Yamaz. var. matsudae (Kudo) T. C. Huang & J. T. Wu Salvia nipponica Miq. var. formosana (Hayata) Kudo
Sedum formosanum N. E. Br. Sinopanax formosana (Hayata) H. L. Li Sloanea formosana H. L. Li
Spiraea formosana Hayata Stellera formosana (Hayata) H. L. Li Strobilanthes formosanus S. Moore Styrax formosana Matsum.
Styrax formosana Matsum. var. hayataiana (Perkins) H. L. Li Symplocos formosana Brand
Syzygium formosanum (Hayata) Mori Taraxacum formosanum Kitam.
Tetrastigma formosanum (Hemsl.) Gagnep. Theligonum formosanum (Ohwi) Ohwi & T. S. Liu Trachelospermum formosanum Y. C. Liu & C. H. Ou Trigonotis formosana Hayata
Trigonotis formosana Hayata var. elevatovenosa (Hayata) S. D. Shen & J. C. Wang, Turpinia formosana Nakai
Vaccinium wrightii A. Gray var. formosanum (Hayata) H. L. Li Veronicastrum formosanum (Masam.) Yamaz.
Viburnum formosanum Hayata
Viburnum plicatum Thunb. var. formosanum Y. C. Liu & C. H. Ou Viola formosana Hayata
Viola formosana Hayata var. stenopetala (Hayata) J. C. Wang, T. C. Huang & T. Hashim. Wendlandia formosana Cowan
IIIB. MONOCOTYLEDONS Agropyron formosanum Honda
Agrostis infirma Buse var. formosana (Hack.) Veldkamp Aletris formosana Hayata
Alpinia formosana K. Schum. Anoectochilus formosanus Hayata
Anthoxanthum horsfieldii (Kunth ex Benn.) Mez var. formosanum (Honda) Veldkamp Appendicula formosana Hayata
Arisaema formosanum (Hayata) Hayata Arundo formosana Hack.
Bletilla formosana (Hayata) Schltr.
Bletilla formosana (Hayata) Schltr. f. kotoensis (Hayata) T. P. Lin; Yang et al. Calamus formosanus Becc.
Carex formosensis H. Lév. & Vaniot Colocasia formosana Hayata Collabium formosanum Hayata
Cymbidium formosanum Hayata sensu Yuen P. Yang et al.
Cypripedium formosanum Hayata Eccoilopus formosanus (Rendle) A. Camus Epipremnum formosanum Hayata Erianthus formosanus Stapf Festuca formosana Honda
Gastrochilus formosanus (Hayata) Hayata Iris formosana Ohwi
Leptaspis formosana C. C. Hsu Lilium formosanum Wallace Liparis formosana Rchb. f.
Musa basjoo Siebold var. formosana (Warb.) S. S. Ying Poa formosae Ohwi
Peristylus formosanus (Schltr.) T. P. Lin Phreatia formosana Rolfe
Platanthera mandarinorum Rchb. f. subsp. formosana T. P. Lin & K. Inoue
Pleione formosana Hayata sensu Yuen P. Yang & al.
Thrixspermum formosanum (Hayata) Schltr. Tricyrtis formosana Baker
Tricyrtis formosana Baker var. grandiflora S. S. Ying Tricyrtis formosana Baker var. lasiocarpa (Matsum.) Masam. Tricyrtis formosana Baker var. ovatifolia (S. S. Ying) S. S. Ying Tricyrtis formosana Baker var. stolonifera (Matsum.) Masam. Trisetum spicatum (L.) Rich. var. formosanum (Honda) Ohwi Veratrum formosanum Loes.
