New Directory of International Registration Authorities (IRAs)

[Piers Trehane]

To all Taxacomers with an interest in cultivated plant taxonomy and
nomenclature.

A new, fully revised directory of International Registration Authorities
(IRAs) is now available at:

http://www.ishs.org/sci/iradirec.htm

For your information: IRAs have been in existence for over 40 years and
they are set up and maintained by the International Society for
Horticultural Science. There are presently 66 IRAs covering a diversity
of taxonomic groups from family to species. Their prime role is to
record validly published (established) cultivar names within "their"
taxonomic group(s). They are contracted to operate with the relevant
Codes of nomenclature.

The suite of IRA web pages contain a great deal of information
concerning the naming of cultivars and the registration process. At the
heart of the pages is a list of the taxonomic groups covered: this is
gradually being extended to include all groups known to contain variants
which may be deemed as being cultivars.

A useful feature is a pop-up glossary of terms encountered in the pages.

Please pass this information on to all your colleagues with an interest
in cultivated plant taxonomy.

I should be glad to receive any comments, especially notice of any
errors.

Piers Trehane

--
Piers Trehane
Chairman, International Society for Horticultural Science's Commission for
Nomenclature and Registration

piers at indhort.demon.co.uk