[Taxacom] Nomina nuda and genbank?

[Paul van Rijckevorsel]

From: "Paul Kirk" <p.kirk at cabi.org>
Sent: Friday, October 30, 2009 6:43 PM

> Art. 6.3 (pedantically) only refers to the use of the word 'name'
> within the Code - a 'scientific name' can exist even if it is not validly
> published and some of these names may be nomina nuda ... ;-)

> Paul

***
Actually, no.

    Art. 12.1.  A name of a taxon has no status under this Code
    unless it is validly published (see Art. 32-45).

To have nomenclatural status a name must be validly published. 
If it does not have nomenclatural status, it does not exist as a 
scientific name. It may exist in some different sense, just like 
"Paul Kirk" exists, but not as a botanical name. I suppose it may 
be possible to use some different definition of "scientific name" 
that would include this, but if one is making up one's own 
definitions, well, anything goes.

In as far as a nomen nudum is defined in the ICBN, it is as 
something that fails to be a botanical name because it was 
(effectively) published without a description or diagnosis 
(or a reference to a previously published description or 
diagnosis).

Paul van Rijckevorsel