Taxacom: Question to botanical experts RE ICNafp Code - rank changes for descriptive names, with changed termination

[Richard Rabeler]

Dear Tony:

An interesting question to which I will offer an observation.

>From my reading of your explanation and the relevant Code sections, it
looks like a descriptive name is not subject to following the terminations
for ranks above family.  Those endings are noted in Sect. 16.3 which begins:

*16.3.* Automatically typified names end as follows:

That may explain the statements noting that descriptive names "may be used
unchanged at different ranks"; they are not subject to standard
terminations.

Sincerely,

Rich Rabeler, MICH

On Wed, Mar 29, 2023 at 6:01 PM Tony Rees via Taxacom <taxacom at lists.ku.edu>
wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> I am seeking advice as to how a descriptive name above the rank of family
> can be re-used, with a change in termination (to signify changed rank) with
> or without a change in cited authorship and/or "stat. nov." - the latter
> presumably requiring a formal publication.
>
> The name in question is Eophytidae Edwards, Morris, Axe, Duckett, Pressel &
> Kenrick, 2021, erected as a subclass within class Embryopsida, consistent
> with the treatment of land plants by Chase & Reveal, 2009, except that
> "Embryopsida" replaces the latter's "Equisetopsida".
>
> This name is erected at a similar rank to bryophytes, marchantiophytes atc.
> which are at equivalent rank i.e. subclass in the Chase & Reveal treatment.
> However in other treatments such as that of Ruggiero et al., 2015, followed
> in my own IRMNG system and elsewhere, bryyophytes, etc. are treated as
> separate phyla within Embryophyta, which is represented as a superphylum.
>
> So my requirement is to treat the "eophytes" (presently Eophytidae) as a
> separate phylum, e.g. "Eophyta", where it will sit alongside
> Anthocerotophyta, Bryophyta, Charophyta and so on. Note here, "Eophytidae"
> is a "descriptive name" per the ICNafp (not based on a genus) so falls
> under the provisions of Arts. 16 and 6.10, thus:
> -------------
> Article 16.1 Names above the rank of family
> "… descriptive names … may be used unchanged at different ranks"
> -------------
> Article 6.10 Note 3
> Note 3. A descriptive name (Art. 16.1(b)) used at a rank different from
> that at which it was first validly published is not a name at new rank
> because descriptive names may be used unchanged at different ranks.
> -------------
> So one reading of this is that Eophytidae may be recast as "Eophyta" (with
> the same circumscription) without a change of authorship, and not requiring
> a published "stat. nov.". However the alternative reading would be that a
> published change of authorship would be needed, plus a "stat. nov.", since
> although the initial portion of the name is unchanged, the termination is -
> in other words the name is not "unchanged" in the sense of Art. 16.1.
>
> Thoughts, advice appreciated.
>
> Tony Rees, New South Wales, Australia
>
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