Code Of Botanical Nomenclature Research Articles

Типовые образцы названий таксонов рода Hedysarum L. (Fabaceae) из Средней Азии, хранящиеся в Национальном Гербарии Узбекистана (TASH)

The main aim of this research is to fill in the missing taxonomic information on Hedysarum L. for the new edition of “Flora of Uzbekistan”. Currently, one of the main scientific areas of botanical research in Uzbekistan is a fundamental project to prepare a new edition of the Flora of Uzbekistan. More than 50 years after the first edition of the national flora, new volumes of the second edition of the "Flora of Uzbekistan" were published, which continues the best traditions of the classical floras of Central Asia. The previous edition of the “Flora of Uzbekistan” was the first detailed summary of the vascular plant species of the Republic, which in many respects surpassed similar "Flora" of neighboring countries. This fundamental work, once awarded the prestigious scientific prize named after Abu Raykhan Beruni, included information on 4148 plant species of the flora of Uzbekistan (of which 3663 are native and 485 are introduced). Since 2016, the first three volumes of the new flora have been published, which marks the beginning of a new stage in the study of the plant diversity of Uzbekistan. A large international team, including a number of Russian botanists, is involved in the implementation of the fundamental project "Flora of Uzbekistan". At the moment, the revision of some polymorphic families, such as Fabaceae, Apiaceae, Caryophyl-laceae, Brassicaceae, is ongoing, modern abstracts of these families with additions have been compiled, critical processing of a number of genera has been performed, as well as maps of the distribution of individual groups have been compiled on the basis of GIS. Particular attention is paid to the selection of type samples and typification. In the family Fabaceae, along with the polymorphic genera Astragalus L. and Oxytropis DC., critical processing of species of the genus Hedysarum L. is carried out. In the first edition of the Flora of Uzbekistan, E.E. Korotkova listed 19 species of this genus. Subsequent field studies and study of the National Herbarium of Uzbekistan (TASH) collection made it possible to identify 4 species new to Uzbekistan. In 2021, one new species was described. The main collection of TASH contains more than 1080 specimens of the genus Hedysarum belonging to 51 Central Asian species. Their first herbarium samples were collected by Karelin and Kirilov in 1841. And also, most of the herbariums of the genus were collected by M.G. Popov, V.P. Drobov, A.Ya. Butkov, E.P. Korovin, E.E. Korotkova, V.V. Lepeshkin, M.P. Tishchenko, N.P. Gomolitsky, M.M. Arifkhanova, M.M. Nabiev and others from 1915 to 1965. The paper contains an annotated list of type specimens of the genus Hedysarum from the Fabaceae family from Central Asia kept in TASH. For each taxon, the following is given: Latin name with reference to the publication of its original description; category of the type specimen(s); citation of label; citation from protologue; required notes (if any). Additional information and corrections made to the text of the label are given in square brackets. When typifying the names, the recommendations of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN), section “typification of taxa” were taken into account. Information about the types of both names accepted in the “Conspectus Florae Asiae Mediae” and online resources (http://www.worldfloraonline.org, https://powo.science.kew.org), and the names mentioned as synonyms are given. The spelling of the names and abbreviations of the surnames of the authors of the taxa are corrected according to the “IPNI. International Plant Name Index” (http://www.ipni.org). The names and authors indicated on the labels of herbarium specimens are quoted verbatim. Species are listed in alphabetical order. The names we have adopted in the list are in bold italics, while synonyms are in plain italics. During the revision of the genus Hedysarum, 71 type specimens of 27 taxa were identified from the TASH collection. The type specimens are represented by 11 holotypes, 20 isotypes, 20 paratypes, 5 lectotypes, 11 isolectotypes, and 4 specimina aut-entica. Lectotypes of 5 names: Hedysarum drobovii Korotkova (See Fig. 2), H. he-mithamnoides Korotkova (See Fig. 3), H. magnificum Kudr. (See Fig. 4) and H. baldshuanicum Fedtsch. are designated in the Herbarium TASH. In addition, holotypes stored in FRU (Institute for Biology of National Academy of Sci., Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) for H. cumustchanicum (See Fig. 1) were given, because these holotype specimens were not presented in their initial description. The results of the research were applied in the preparation of a new volume of the Flora of Uzbekistan, dedicated to Fabaceae family.

International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants: on the history of the Russian translation

An urgent need to use a unified nomenclature for cultivated plants was indicated at the beginning of the 20th century by R.E. Regel, A.I. Malzev, K.A. Flyaksberger. Half a century later, an appendix to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Stockholm, 1952) published the first formulated rules for naming cultivated plants, which provided a basis for the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants issued as a separate edition in 1953. The primary goal of the Code was to eliminate confusion, promote order and uniformity in the naming of new varieties and the use of accepted variety names, i.e. to establish unified nomenclature rules. The main categories of the nomenclature for cultivated plants (cultivar, group, grex) do not represent a hierarchical system. So far, nine editions of the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants had been published, of which four were translated into Russian (1953, 1958, 1961 and 1969). The prepared translation of the ninth edition is going to be published in the Vavilovia journal.

(119–122) Proposals to amend Articles 51 and 56 and Division III, to allow the rejection of culturally offensive and inappropriate names

(119–122) Proposals to amend Articles 51 and 56 and Division <scp>III</scp>, to allow the rejection of culturally offensive and inappropriate names

(117) Proposal to add a new paragraph to Recommendation 40A encouraging the publication of accessory types and type illustrations

According to Art. 9.13 of the Shenzhen Code (Turland & al. in Regnum Veg. 159. 2018), a name may be neotypified when no original material exists. Then Rec. 9B.1 points out that, in selecting a neotype, there is usually no guide except personal judgement as to what best fits the protologue. It is stated in the Preface of the Shenzhen Code (p. xvi) that Art. 9.4 was amended to make it clear that original material includes illustrations published as part of the protologue. This replaces the rather awkward requirement, first introduced in the Tokyo Code (Greuter & al. in Regnum Veg. 131. 1994), to show that the validating description or diagnosis was based on certain specimens or illustrations in order for them to qualify as original material. Some authors publish names of new species or infraspecific taxa with the holotype as the only original material, although this is not at all a good practice. In such cases, if the holotype is lost or destroyed, there remains no option but to neotypify the name. If a photograph of the holotype is published in the protologue, then it would be available for lectotypification, which is a better option than neotypification. Therefore, we are proposing the following new Recommendation. “40A.7. Authors should publish the name of a new species or infraspecific taxon not only with a holotype but also with isotype(s) and/or paratype(s). The isotype(s) and paratype(s) should preferably be deposited in herbaria other than that in which the holotype is deposited. If it is not possible to preserve any specimens other than the holotype, a photograph of the holotype should be included in the protologue, so that if the holotype is lost or destroyed, the photograph will be available for designation as the lectotype.” We thank the Director, Botanical Survey of India (BSI) and Scientist “E” and Head of the Office, Central National Herbarium, BSI for providing facilities. We also thank Nicholas J. Turland and Dr. John H. Wiersema for their helpful suggestions and refining the manuscript.

Trends in Free-access Genomic Data Accelerate Advances in Cyanobacteria Taxonomy.

Free access databases of DNA sequences containing microbial genetic information have changed the way scientists look at the microbial world. Currently, the NCBI database includes about 516 distinct search results for Cyanobacterial genomes distributed in a taxonomy based on a polyphasic approach. While their classification and taxonomic relationships are widely used as is, recent proposals to alter their grouping include further exploring the relationship between Cyanobacteria and Melainabacteria. Nowadays, most cyanobacteria still are named under the Botanical Code; however, there is a proposal made by the Genome Taxonomy Database (GTDB) to harmonize cyanobacteria nomenclature with the other bacteria, an initiative to standardize microbial taxonomy based on genome phylogeny, in order to contribute to an overall better phylogenetic resolution of microbiota. Furthermore, the assembly level of the genomes and their geographical origin demonstrates some trends of cyanobacteria genomics on the scientific community, such as low availability of complete genomes and underexplored sampling locations. By describing how available cyanobacterial genomes from free-access databases fit within different taxonomic classifications, this mini-review provides a holistic view of the current knowledge of cyanobacteria and indicates some steps towards improving our efforts to create a more cohesive and inclusive classifying system, which can be greatly improved by using large-scale sequencing and metagenomic techniques.

How to publish a new fungal species, or name, version 3.0

It is now a decade since The International Commission on the Taxonomy of Fungi (ICTF) produced an overview of requirements and best practices for describing a new fungal species. In the meantime the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICNafp) has changed from its former name (the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature) and introduced new formal requirements for valid publication of species scientific names, including the separation of provisions specific to Fungi and organisms treated as fungi in a new Chapter F. Equally transformative have been changes in the data collection, data dissemination, and analytical tools available to mycologists. This paper provides an updated and expanded discussion of current publication requirements along with best practices for the description of new fungal species and publication of new names and for improving accessibility of their associated metadata that have developed over the last 10 years. Additionally, we provide: (1) model papers for different fungal groups and circumstances; (2) a checklist to simplify meeting (i) the requirements of the ICNafp to ensure the effective, valid and legitimate publication of names of new taxa, and (ii) minimally accepted standards for description; and, (3) templates for preparing standardized species descriptions.

(055–064) Proposals to clarify Articles 6.9–6.13 and Article 41

(055–064) Proposals to clarify Articles 6.9–6.13 and Article 41

DEFINIÇÃO ESTRATIGRÁFICA DA FORMAÇÃO MISSÃO VELHA, BACIA DO ARARIPE

A Formação Missão Velha corresponde aos depósitos fluviais do intervalo Neojurássico-Eocretáceo na Bacia do Araripe, depositada no contexto da Depressão Afro-Brasileira no Início de Rifte do Gondwana Ocidental. A Formação Missão Velha destaca-se com relação às demais unidades da Bacia do Araripe, sobretudo, pela ocorrência de uma assembleia fossilífera de troncos silicificados de coníferas. Embora os depósitos da Formação Missão Velha e das outras unidades do Andar Dom João nas demais bacias interiores do Nordeste de modo geral não apresentem feições diagnósticas de tectonismo e magmatismo ativo, uma série de investigações na última década desafiaram a obviedade em busca do entendimento das condições do início do rifte através de novos métodos comparativos e interpretativos. Tendo em vista estes recentes avanços e observando a necessidade de uma revisão da unidade à luz desses novos dados, a fim de facilitar a comunicação entre os autores, o presente trabalho determina de forma objetiva através da análise da evolução de conhecimentos e delimitação, condições tectonoestratigráficas, a caracterização geológica e paleontológica da Formação Missão Velha. Concluiu-se que a unidade apresenta uma discordância interna e que suas sequências inferior e superior apresentam distinção de sentido de paleocorrentes que mudam de prioritariamente S-SE para NW; associação de fácies que mudam de depósitos fluviais com planícies de inundação intercaladas para depósitos de fundo de canal de alta energia com presença de troncos silicificados. Por sua vez, a atribuição dos troncos ao táxon Dadoxylon-Araucarioxylon deve ser desencorajada pois estão em desacordo com o Código Internacional de Nomenclatura Botânica.

Кабардино-черкесские фитонимы и ботаническая научная номенклатура

For the first time in the Kabardino-Circassian language, on the basis of the international code of botanical nomenclature (ICBN, Vienna Code), the names of the main taxonomic units (type, family, genus) of the plant world and their representatives are given.

Review on an educational dictionary for Chinese philology students: Li, Yuejiao, & Vasileva, G.M. (2020). The botanical culture code in vocabulary of a language (phytonyms). Saint Petersburg: Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia

Review on an educational dictionary for Chinese philology students: Li, Yuejiao, & Vasileva, G.M. (2020). The botanical culture code in vocabulary of a language (phytonyms). Saint Petersburg: Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia

Lectotypification of the name Stereodon nemoralis Mitt. (Plagiotheciaceae), a basionym of Plagiothecium nemorale (Mitt.) A. Jaeger.

In 1859, William Mitten described Stereodon nemoralis (≡ Plagiothecium nemorale) based on the gathering of Sir J.D. Hooker from India. However, the protologue did not indicate any specific specimen or illustration. For the past 50 years, the original material (NY 913349) deposited at the NY Herbarium has been considered as the holotype. However, this assumption has since been found to be incorrect, because in the Herbarium of The Natural History Museum exists other original material of this species (BM 1030713), collected by Hooker. In addition, the specimen from NY Herbarium is in poor condition and its most important diagnostic characters are not visible. In contrast, the material from BM Herbarium is in very good condition, and therefore it is herein designated as the lectotype. Also, the paper describes the resolution of this type, a process complicated by changes that had occurred in the provisions of subsequent botanical Codes.

(007–008) Proposals to make clearer the circumstances under which a holotype can exist

(007–008) Proposals to make clearer the circumstances under which a holotype can exist

Palynology of Polypodiaceae from Shandong and its significance in classification

According to the new classification system of international Lycopods and Ferns in the Flora of China,Polypodiaceae includes more than 20 genus of Polypodiaceae in the Qinrenchang classification system,and also includes independent families such as Drynariaceae and Platyceriaceae.The new classification system of Polypodiaceae in the Flora of China with many issues needs further investigation and classification.Here we investigated the spore morphology and perispore ornamentation submicroscopic structure of Polypodiaceae from Shandong Province using scanning electron microscopy(SEM).This is the first palynological study based on the new classification system of Polypodiaceae.The results were as follows: Spores of Polypodiaceae were reniform,bilaterally symmetrical,possessing a perispore with stable ornamentation within species and clear distinctions between subfamily,genus and species.The palynological studies supported two of the subfamilies of Polypodiaceae-Drynaria and Platycerium delineated in the FOC.In addition,the perispore ornamentation combined with leaf morphological characteristics showed that Phymatopteris shandongensis J.X.Li et C.Y.Wang was a distinct species,and should be restored to a species level position rather than incorporated with P.hastata(Thunb.) Pic.Serm.,not regard as Phymatopteris but as a new combination Selliguea shandongensis(J.X.Li et C.Y.Wang) J.X.Li & X.J.Li,comb.nov.according to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature and the classification system of Flora of China.Our study not only has accumulated new information for the palynology of Polypodiaceae,but also provides a palynological basis for its new classification system,which is consistent with molecular analysis,and confirms the rationality of the new classification system of Polypodiaceae and its subfamilies.

Standardised Suffixes in the Nomenclature of the Higher Taxa of Prokaryotes an Aid to Data Mining, Database Administration and Automatic Assignment of Names to Taxonomic Ranks

The formation and use of the scientific names of prokaryotes is governed by the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes. Originally deriving from the 1935 revision of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, it retains the treatment of scientific names as Latin words. Above the rank of genus the rank is generally denoted by a single, standardised suffix. This has great advantage in text mining and database infrastructure where the identification of the standardised suffix can automatically be linked to the rank at which the scientific name is being used. The only exception at present are names at the rank of class where, although a standardised suffix has been proposed (-ia) it does not allow one to unambiguously identify the rank of the scientific name, since it is also a suffix used at the rank of genus. In addition, due to the fact that the suffix at the rank of class was not regulated in earlier versions of the International Code of Nomenclature of Bacteria, there are names that do not follow the standardised suffix. Uniformity would be an advantage. The problem and a proposed solution are discussed.

Chemotaxonomic Profiling Through NMR1.

A metabolite screening of cyanobacteria was performed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis of the soluble material obtained through sequential extraction of the biomass with three different extractive ability solvents (hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol). Twenty-five strains from the Coimbra Collection of Algae (ACOI) belonging to different orders in the botanical code that represent three subsections of the Stainer-Rippka classification were used. The 1 H NMR spectra of hexane extracts showed that only two strains of Nostoc genus accumulated triacylglycerols. Monogalactosyldiacylglycerols and digalactosyldiacylglycerols were the major components of the ethyl acetate extracts in a mono- to digalactosyldiacylglycerols ratio of 4.5 estimated by integration of the signals at δ 3.99 and 3.94ppm (sn3 glycerol methylene). Oligosaccharides of sucrose and mycosporine-like amino acids, among other polar metabolites, were detected in the methanolic extracts. Strains of Nostocales order contained heterocyst glycolipids, whereas sulphoquinovosyldiacylglycerols were absent in one of the studied strains (Microchaete tenera ACOI 1451). Phosphathidylglycerol was identified as the major phospholipid in the methanolic extracts together with minor amounts of phosphatidylcholine based on 1 H, 31 P 2D correlation experiments. Chemotaxonomic information could be easily obtained through the analysis of the δ 3.0-0.5ppm (fatty acid distribution) and δ 1.2-1.1ppm (terminal methyl groups of the aglycons in heterocyst glycolipids) regions of the 1 H NMR spectra of the ethyl acetate and methanol extracts, respectively.

On the issue of streamlining Ukrainian plant names. Information 11. Triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack ex A. Camus)

Purpose. The analysis of wheat and rye hybrids naming.Results. Each botanical taxon, within certain limits, has to be of one correct name, which is initial and in the line with the requirements of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature for algae, mushrooms and plants. For Secale × Triticum hybrids, this name is ×Triticosecale. In 1899 Ludwig Wittmack introduced the name Triticosecale publishing it in the materials of the scientific society in Berlin. The publication did not contain references to the Latin names of parental genera, so this name became valid only after publication in 1927, when this disadvantage was corrected by Amy Camus. Other names (×Triticale, ×Tritisecale, ×Secalotricum, ×Secalotriticum) are of secondary priority to ×Triticosecale, as they were published later and therefore are superfluous. Nevertheless, the name Triticale has become widespread and is a common name for a new crop - triticale. In the Ukrainian and Russian specialized literature, the term triticale is used controversially as words of masculine, feminine or neuter genders, so the variety names are of different grammatical genders. The breeders successfully implemented direct and reciprocal crossing of several species of wheat and rye, giving many Latin names for triticale hybrids. Many of these names are formally similar to species names, but usually do not meet the requirements of the nomenclature code and are illegal. Only some of the proposed names are published, but they are not widely used in agronomic practice. At the same time, assigning illegal names to the new triticale hybrids that do not meet nomenclature requirements and increases confusion is still practiced.Conclusions. According to the Rules of the Ukrainian language, the word triticale relates to the neuter grammar gender. It represents a new field crop and is the Ukrainian conformity to the nothogeneric name ×Triticosecale. Most species and sub-species names proposed by breeders for triticale do not meet the requirements of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature for algae, mushrooms and plants. For ordering the varietal diversity of triticale names, it is worthwhile to apply the recommendations of the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants, which standardizes the names of varieties and their groups.

Procedures and timetable for proposals to amend the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants

Introduction The International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants or “Melbourne Code” (McNeill & al. in Regnum Veg. 154. 2012, hereafter “Code”) was published on 19 December 2012. It incorporates the changes that were adopted on 30 July 2011 at the XVIII International Botanical Congress in Melbourne, Australia, to the previous edition, the “Vienna Code” (McNeill & al. in Regnum Veg. 146. 2006). In accordance with its Division III (Provisions for the Governance of the Code), the Code may be modified only by action of a plenary session of an International Botanical Congress on a resolution moved by the Nomenclature Section of that Congress. The next Congress will be held in Shenzhen, China, in July 2017. The Nomenclature Section will meet from 18–22 July prior to the scientific sessions of the Congress (23–29 July; see http://www. ibc2017.cn/Dates.htm).

Analyses of Chloroplast Genomic and Morphological Evolutionomy of Yulania Sprengeri and Two New Confusable Species (Magnoliaceae)

To scientifically solve the taxonomical confusion of Yulania sprengeri (Pamp.) D. L. Fu in the world, the chloroplast genomic sequences of four confusable species were assembled and compared with the other species of Yulania Spach by means of the typical algorithm. The results indicated that the evolutionary system of Yulania Spach includes four natural sections: Y. sect. Yulania, Y. sect. Buergeria (Sieb. & Zucc.) D. L. Fu, Y. sect. Rosula D. L. Fu, sect., nov., and Y. sect. Tulipastrum (Spach) D. L. Fu, which all have the same boundaries: PHS (17bp) = 0.96. The species Y. sprengeri (Pamp.) D. L. Fu belong to sect. Yulania, but several confusable species such as Y. diva (Stapf. ex Dandy) D. L. Fu, sp. transl. nov., Y. urceolata D. L. Fu, B. H. Xiong et X. Chen, sp. segregat. nov., Y. pendula D. L. Fu, sp. nov. and Y. viridula D. L. Fu, T. B. Zhao et G. H. Tian belong to the new section Rosula D. L. Fu. According to International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, Y. sprengeri (Pamp.) D. L. Fu is proposed for conservation and emended with the conserved type (D. L. Fu 2017100803, CAF). The misidentified epitype of Magnolia sprengeri, the illustration in Flora of Trees of China, differing taxonomically, selected as Lectotype, with almost equal specimen, paratype (D. L. Fu 2017093001, CAF) from Weining County, Guizhou province of China, was segregated as a new species, Y. urceolata D. L. Fu, B. H. Xiong et X. Chen. The other new confusable species, Y. pendula D. L. Fu, is described and illustrated based on the holotype (D. L. Fu 2012040201, CAF) from Sichuan province of China, which was once misidentified as Y. biondii (Pamp.) D. L. Fu or Y. sprengeri (Pamp.) D. L. Fu. The typci-evolutionary characters including diagnostic differences and particularity of the new section and two new species, are given respectively. The evolutionary system scientifically overcomes the partiality and subjectivity of past taxonomical systems of Yulania Spach of Magnoliaceae Juss.

Two PEL of cpDNA of Magnolia Accisa, a New Species (Magnoliaceae) from China

Magnolia sect. Rytidospermum Spach is an important taxon and has an important position in the evolutionary and taxonomic system of Magnoliaceae. A new species of the section was discovered in the investigation of the plant resources in China, named Magnolia accisa D. L. Fu, H. Fu et R. M. Duan, sp. nov. for its leaves with accisus apices and viridescent lower surfaces, which had been confused with M. officinalis var. biloba Rehd. & Wils. for many years. In order to determine its evolutionary taxonomic status, two similar species, M. officinalis Rehd. & Wils. with the variety M. officinalis var. biloba Rehd. & Wils, and M. rostrata W. W. Smith also collected, and two partial sequences of chloroplast genome, matK and trnL-ndhJ, were amplified and sequenced respectively. The partial sequences were analyzed and compared with 39 samples of the chloroplast complete genomes of Magnoliaceae in the NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information, USA) database, and the results indicated that the new species Magnolia accisa has two PEL (particularly evolutionary loci): matK (...ACAAGGTG G GATTTCCA...) and trnL-ndhJ (...GTCTAGTCTA T AGGAGT...), for that the oppositely evolutionary loci of matK (...ACAAGGTG A GATTTCCA...) and trnL-ndhJ (...GTCTAGTCTA G AGGAGT...) are possessed by all other contrasted samples including the experimental materials and the data of NCBI of Magnoliaceae. So, the new species is described and illustrated according International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, which will speed up the investigation of plant resources of Magnoliasect. Rytidospermum Spach in China.

Twenty-First Century Biological Nomenclature-The Enduring Power of Names.

Nomenclature and taxonomy are complementary and distinct aspects of the study of biodiversity, but the two are often confused even by biologists. Taxonomy is the part of the science of systematics that deals with identifying, describing, and categorizing organisms from species to higher taxa. Nomenclature is a system of giving names to organisms based on rules established for the process. Adoption of a system of binomial nomenclature by end of the 18th century helped standardize the process of naming the wealth of new organisms collected during the Age of Exploration, but before the middle of the 19th century, the turmoil resulting from differences in procedures and philosophies among practicing taxonomists necessitated the development of codes of nomenclature to regulate naming. By the early 20th century, codified sets of rules for the names of both plants and animals, nowadays usually abbreviated as International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Botanical Code) and ICZN (Zoological Code), were in place internationally. These codes worked reasonably well through most of the 20th century, under the aegis of various international bodies, in part because procedures exist to bypass them when their provisions threaten nomenclatural stability. They also inspired the development of other nomenclatural codes for specific groups of organisms like bacteria, and, alternatively, the proposal of unified codes for all organisms. The rapid development of electronic communications and various means of electronic publication at the end of the 20th century, combined with what may be the advent of a new age of biological extinction, resulted in pressure to revise the codes to allow at least some degree of electronic publication and speedier description of new taxa in the 21st century. Consistent and unambiguous names are the platforms on which biological research and conservation practices are built. As we pursue the goals of documenting and conserving biodiversity, for which a stable nomenclature is essential, we must do so without restricting the freedom of the science of systematics.