Use of the rank of forma

[Susan B. Farmer]

>At 06:55 PM 10/1/00, Susan B. Farmer wrote:
>>IPNI is eliminating everything between the specific epithet and the
>>forma.  If the above were a validly published name, they would list
>>it in their database as Planta excelsa forma alba -- regardless of how
>>it was published.
>
>And this is supposedly a *good* thing?
>
>How do they distinguish between the formae alba in different subspecies?
>

Presumable they don't.  I questioned this somewhat vigorously because
this is supposed to be a database of *published* names, and Planta
excelsa forma alba was never published anywhere.  I was told that
Planta excelsa variety glabra forma alba was a classification, but
that Planta excelsa forma alba was merely a name.  They are in the
business of recording only names.  Example 1 of article 24.1 was cited
to me as their justification.

Susan
-----
Susan Farmer
sfarmer at goldsword.com
Botany Department, University of Tennessee
http://www.goldsword.com/sfarmer/Trillium