A Long-Misapplied Name for a Sino-Indian Species of Jasminum: Studies in the Genus Jasminum (Oleaceae): XI

Abstract

Nyctanthes elongata was described from China by Bergius in 1771 and transferred to Jasminum by Willdenow in 1797, but the name wrongly disappeared into synonomy. In Jasminum it was used by Roxburgh (1820) but misapplied to a different Indian species and, in this, he was followed by G. Don (1837) and De Candolle (1844). C. B. Clarke (1882) did not mention the name, while in the Index Kewensis (Jackson, 1893) J. elongatum Willd. was said to be a synonym ofJ. roxburghianum Wall. ex C. B. Cl. However, if one turns to Wallich's original publication of this name, as a nomen nudum (1831), he had, as a synonym, "Jasm. elongatum? Herb Roxb. (hd. Vahl)", it seems clear from this that he believed that the plants of Roxburgh and Vahl (that is of Bergius by back reference) were different. Through the courtesy of Dr Lars Kers of the Bergianska Stiftelsen, Stockholm, to whom I offer my grateful thanks, I have been able to examine photographs of Bergius's type specimen, and it is clear, as suspected from the figure Bergius published along with his original description, that his plant is the same species as that which has long been known as J. amplexicaule Buch.-Ham. ex G. Don. On grounds of priority, therefore, it must take its place as the correct name for this species from China, Burma and India.