A review and analysis of the nomenclatural and taxonomic status of the names and designations used and proposed, respectively, in Kalanchoe (Crassulaceae [subfam. Cotyledonoideae] tr. Kalanchoeae) by Raymond-Hamet (1890–1972) in the five Fascicles of his self-published Crassulacearum icones selectae that appeared between 1931 and 1963

During the 20th century, the Frenchman Raymond-Hamet (1890–1972) was the undisputed global expert on Kalanchoe (Crassulaceae [subfam. Cotyledonoideae] tr. Kalanchoeae). From 1906 to 1963—a period of 57 years—Raymond-Hamet published names and / or new combinations for nearly 70 Kalanchoe taxa, of which about ⅔ are still accepted and in use today. He additionally proposed several new ‘names’ in the genus that were either later validly published by other researchers (in one case by himself), or that have remained without a nomenclatural status in the sense of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants. In this regard especially the five-Fascicle work entitled Crassulacearum icones selectae that Raymond-Hamet self-published in Paris intermittently over a 32 year period, between 1931 to 1963, was a source of ‘names’ that were not validly published. As part of ongoing studies to stabilise the nomenclature and taxonomy applicable to Kalanchoe, a review and analysis were conducted of the five Fascicles of Crassulacearum icones selectae. It is shown that none of the 21 ‘names’ that were introduced for the first time in the five Fascicles was validly published and therefore do not compete with names at present applied to accepted species that were validly published earlier or later. Thirteen of the 21 taxonomic concepts of Raymond-Hamet that he applied to Kalanchoe taxa, as expressed in the five Fascicles of Crassulacearum icones selectae, are at present accepted. Seven of the designations were later validly published by other researchers. Only one of the designations was later validly published by Raymond-Hamet himself. For a further five of the designations, new names were validly published, rather than Raymond-Hamet’s designations being adopted and validly published. Seven of Raymond-Hamet’s concepts are today included in the circumscription of other taxa. The 21st and final concept coincides with that of a species in which infraspecific taxa are not recognised. The species names (as opposed to the designations) that Raymond-Hamet used in Crassulacearum icones selectae had all been validly published before they appeared in this work.