(98) Request for a binding decision on whether the names EleiotisDC. (Fabaceae) and Eleotis Ver.‐Lib. & R.D. Stone (Melastomataceae) are sufficiently alike to be confused

Abstract

(98) Eleiotis DC. (1825) [Angiosp.: Legum.] Eleotis Ver.-Lib. & R.D. Stone (2020) [Angiosp.: Melastomat.] The genus Eleiotis DC. was first established by the Swiss botanist Augustin Pyramus de Candolle (Prodr. 2: 348. Nov 1825) with Eleiotis monophylla DC. (l.c.) (the epithet taken from the illegitimate Glycine monophyllos Burm. f., Fl. Ind.: 161. 1768, non L. 1767) and E. sororia (L.) DC. (l.c.) (≡ Hedysarium sororium L., Mant. Pl. Alt.: 270. 1771). Later, Wight and Arnott described a new species, E. rottleri Wight & Arn. (Prodr. Fl. Ind. Orient. 1: 231. 1834), and Cooke added another new species, E. trifoliolata Cooke (Fl. Bombay 1: 342. 1902). Candolle (Mém. Légum.: 338 [“348”]. 1825) stated “je lui ai donné le nom d'Eleiotis, pour rappeler celui d'Oreille de Loir” (I gave it the name of Eleiotis, to recall that of a dormouse's ear). The Greek word for dormouse is ἐλειός (eleios), and ωτίς (otis) means a little ear, the resulting generic name alluding to the shape of the leaves (Patil, Origin Pl. Names: 104. 2007). Currently, the genus Eleiotis DC. is considered to comprise just two species (Mabberley's Plant-Book, ed. 4: 325. 2017), E. sororia (L.) DC. (= E. monophylla DC.) and E. rottleri Wight & Arn. (incl. E. trifoliolata). Both species are recorded from India, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar (Sanjappa, Legumes India: 338. 1992; Pedley in Dassanayake, Revised Handb. Fl. Ceylon 10: 149–194. 1996; Kumar & Sane, Legumes S. Asia: 536. 2003; Nemotoa & al. in J. Jap. Bot. 85: 303–312. 2010). As a result of phylogenetic and morphological analysis, the new genus Eleotis Ver.-Lib. & R.D. Stone (in Taxon 69: 977. 2020) was established by raising Dissotis Benth. sect. Sessilifoliae A. Fern. & R. Fern. (in Bol. Soc. Brot., sér. 2, 43: 290. 1969) to generic rank with the transfer of a total of four species, the type Eleotis welwitschii (Cogn.) Ver.-Lib. & R.D. Stone (≡ Dissotis welwitschii Cogn. in Candolle & Candolle, Monogr. Phan. 7: 371. 1891), along with E. anchietae (A. Fern. & R. Fern.) Ver.-Lib. & R.D. Stone (≡ Dissotis anchietae A. Fern. & R. Fern., l.c. 28: 189. 1954), E. brazzae (Cogn.) Ver.-Lib. & R.D. Stone (≡ Osbeckia brazzae Cogn., l.c.: 335) and E. buraeavii (Cogn.) Ver.-Lib. & R.D. Stone (≡ Osbeckia buraeavii Cogn., l.c.: 335). All are confined to tropical Central Africa. Veranso-Libalah & al. (l.c.) explained the etymology of Eleotis as being a reference to the ecology of the four species in this group stating that: “Eleotis is a feminine noun; the first part of the word comes from the Greek helos, genitive heleos, meaning ‘marsh’; otis means ‘related to Dissotis’”, the latter apparently just meaning relating through the provision of the same ending. In my opinion, the two names are sufficiently alike to cause confusion. Although they belong to different families and geographical regions and although the stated derivation is seemingly quite different, the close similarity of ἐλειός (eleios), a dormouse, and ἕλειος (eleios), of the marsh, can lead to some confusion. I believe that nomenclatural stability would be best served by a decision to treat Eleiotis DC. and Eleotis Ver.-Lib. & R.D. Stone as homonyms. Therefore, I am requesting a binding decision under Art. 53.4 of the Shenzhen Code (Turland & al. in Regnum Veg. 159. 2018) as to whether the names Eleiotis DC. (Fabaceae) and Eleotis Ver.-Lib. & R.D. Stone (Melastomataceae) are sufficiently alike to be confused and thus should be treated as homonyms. If a decision is made to treat them as homonyms, the later published name would have to be given a new name in accordance with the Code. UBD, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7489-7645 I am grateful to Professor John McNeill for his valuable comments, which improved the text, and careful editing of the manuscript. I am grateful to the Principal Dr. M. Subhas and the Head Dr. M.B. Shende of the Department of Botany, Janata Mahavidyalaya, Chandrapur for providing facilities. I also thank Dr. O.S. Rathor, Ex-Principal and Head of Botany Department, Science College, Nanded for his help.