Lectotypification of the basionym and a synonym of Givotia moluccana (Euphorbiaceae) ensuring its unambiguous use

T Chakrabarty,G Krishna

doi:10.14719/pst.2019.6.1.464

Abstract

A second-step lectotype is designated for the Linnaean name Croton moluccanus ensuring its unambiguous use as Givotia moluccana (L.) Sreem., for a species treated in most of the Indian and Ceylonese Floras as Givotia rottleriformis Griff. ex Wight. A lectotype is also designated for the synonym G. rottleriformis as the earlier lectotypification of this name was not based on the original material used for describing the species.

Highlights

The genus Givotia Griff. is represented by four species, distributed in East Africa, Madagascar and peninsular India to Sri Lanka (1)
The sole species occurring in India and Sri Lanka has been treated as Givotia rottleriformis Griff. ex Wight in most of the related Floras
Sreemadhavan (2), unaware of the Prain’s publication (16), pointed out that the Hermann specimens may be considered as the syntypes of Croton moluccanum and one of them be designated as the lectotype

Summary

Introduction

The genus Givotia Griff. is represented by four species, distributed in East Africa, Madagascar and peninsular India to Sri Lanka (1). Is represented by four species, distributed in East Africa, Madagascar and peninsular India to Sri Lanka (1). The sole species occurring in India and Sri Lanka has been treated as Givotia rottleriformis Griff. Ex Wight in most of the related Floras (as cited in nomenclature part). Sreemadhavan (2) placed the Linnaean name Croton moluccanus under Givotia thereby making a new combination G. moluccana (L.) Sreem. Matthew (3), who overlooked the publication of Sreemadhavan (2), made the same combination. Govaerts et al (4), followed by Noltie (5) treated G. moluccana as the accepted name of the combined species but Londhe (6), Balakrishnan & Chakrabarty (7) and Chakrabarty & Balakrishnan (8) continued to use G. rottleriformis on the ground that Smith (9) rejected the Linnaean name C. moluccanus as nomen confusum

Materials and methods

Discussion