What question did this study set out to answer?

The research aims to address nomenclatural gaps and instabilities in vascular plant classification, particularly for nothotaxa.

February 2, 2026Open Access

Gathering Pearls from the Lethe: Nomenclatural Novelties for Nothotaxa

Key Points

The research aims to address nomenclatural gaps and instabilities in vascular plant classification, particularly for nothotaxa.
Validated 452 nomenclatural novelties across 31 families of vascular plants.
Established 12 new nothogenera and numerous new nothoranks, including subgenera and sections.
Proposed 360 new nomenclatural acts, including new combinations and replacements.
Introduced significant new nomenclatural references aiding in accurate plant identification.
Stabilized nomenclature for hybrids and provided new insights into phylogenetic relationships.
Identified and synonymized names under existing taxa, enhancing clarity in taxonomic classifications.

Abstract

The integration of fine-scale taxonomic results into a comprehensive phylogenetic classification remains an ongoing challenge in modern systematics, particularly for infraspecific variants and interspecific hybrids, which are often overlooked. To address the resulting nomenclatural gaps and instabilities, this study provides a significant update by introducing numerous nomenclatural novelties for selected vascular plant genera, with a special focus on nothotaxa. In total, this work validates 452 nomenclatural novelties across 31 families, including Aizoaceae, Amaranthaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Apiaceae, Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Berberidaceae, Cactaceae, Cistaceae, Crassulaceae, Cupressaceae, Cyperaceae, Equisetaceae, Fabaceae, Gesneriaceae, Melanthiaceae, Orchidaceae, Poaceae, Ranunculaceae and Saxifragaceae, ect. Among them are the establishment of 12 new nothogenera: × iOsteolaena/i Amaranthaceae, × iChrysania/i, × iCicuca/i, × iOzodes/i and × iPsepaurea/i Asteraceae, × iTurdenicarpus/i Cactaceae, × iAstoxytropis/i Fabaceae, × iEucongia/i Gesneriaceae, × iPseudillium/i Melanthiaceae, × iBatepalum/i Orchidaceae, × iRankwithia/i Ranunculaceae and × iMitarella/i Saxifragaceae; 59 nothoranks five nothosubgenera, 42 nothosections, six nothosubsections and six nothoseries under seven nothogenera × iAnacamptorchis/i, × iDactylocamptis/i, × iDactylodenia/i, × iGymnanacamptis/i, × iOrchidactylorhiza/i, × iOrchigymnadenia/i and × iOrchimantoglossum/i for the first time and as additions to five natural genera iCattleya/i, iDactylorhiza/i, iPaphiopedilum/i, iPhalaenopsis /iand iPulsatilla/i, respectively; moreover, 360 new nomenclatural acts are proposed, covering 139 new combinations, 209 new combinaton and status, six new status, and six new replacement names; besides, nine names are synonymized under eight taxa. These changes reconcile hybrid taxonomy with contemporary phylogenetic insights, stabilize nomenclature and provide a crucial reference to support accurate identification, biodiversity documentation, and conservation efforts.

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