what do we call it until it gets a name?

[Barbara Ertter]

My toilet training included the rule that one should definitely avoid using
unpublished names in print, even with "ined." attached, and my experience
subsequently has provided several examples of the problems that can arise
when this rule is not followed (e.g., references to I. corymbosa still
popping up in the rare plant literature even tho this was published as I.
paniculata, when the reviewers of the mss. noted that the inflorescence was
a panicle, not a corymb).  Rather than leaving it simply as "sp. nov. A",
however, I'll make reference to the intended epithet but without actually
making the combination, e.g., "A currently undescribed species of XXXX
using the epithet YYYY".  A bit cumbersome, but generally effective.
Having read Peter Bostock's response, I might try incorporating the
Queensland technique as well in future, thereby unambiguously tying the
taxon to a permanent voucher.

Barbara Ertter
Curator of Western North American Flora
University and Jepson Herbaria
University of California, Berkeley CA  USA
ertter at ucjeps.herb.berkeley.edu