Hybrid name (botany)
In botanical nomenclature, a hybrid may be given a hybrid name, which is a special kind of botanical name, but there is no requirement that a hybrid name should be created for plants that are believed to be of hybrid origin.[1] The International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants provides the following options in dealing with a hybrid:[2]
- A hybrid may get a name; this will usually be the option of choice for naturally occurring hybrids.
- A hybrid may also be indicated by a formula listing the parents. Such a formula uses the multiplication sign "×" to link the parents.
A hybrid name is treated like other botanical names, for most purposes, but differs in that:[2]
- A hybrid name does not necessarily refer to a morphologically distinctive group, but applies to all progeny of the parents, no matter how much they vary.
- E.g., Magnolia ×soulangeana applies to all progeny from the cross Magnolia denudata × Magnolia liliiflora, and from the crosses of all their progeny, as well as from crosses of any of the progeny back to the parents (backcrossing). This covers quite a range in flower colour.
- Names of hybrids between genera (called nothogenera) can be published by specifying the names of the parent genera, but without a scientific description, and do not have a type. Nothotaxon names with the rank of a subdivision of a genus (notho-subgenus, notho-section, notho-series, etc.) are also published by listing the parent taxa and without descriptions or types.[3]
- Special rules apply for forming the names of hybrids between genera or between subdivisions of genera.[4]
Forms of hybrid names
A hybrid name can be indicated by:
- a multiplication sign "×" placed before the name of an intergeneric hybrid or before the epithet of a species hybrid. An intervening space is optional. e.g.:
- Sorbaronia or ×Sorbaronia or × Sorbaronia is the name of hybrids between the genera Sorbus and Aronia,
- Iris germanica or Iris ×germanica is a species derived by hybrid speciation
- or by the prefix notho- attached to the rank,
- Crataegus nothosect. Crataeguineae
- Iris germanica nothovar. florentina.
The multiplication sign and the prefix notho- are not part of the actual name and are disregarded for nomenclatural purposes such as synonymy, homonymy, etc. This means that a taxonomist could decide to use either form of this name: Drosera ×anglica to emphasize that it is a hybrid, or Drosera anglica to emphasize that it is a species.
The names of intergeneric hybrids generally have a special form called a condensed formula, e.g., Agropogon for hybrids between Agrostis and Polypogon. Hybrids involving four or more genera are formed from the name of a person, with suffix -ara attached, e.g., ×Beallara.[4]
See also
- Grex (horticulture), different rules for naming orchid hybrids
- graft-chimaera names look similar, but use an addition sign "+".
- Glossary of scientific naming
Notes
- ↑ (McNeill 2012, Article H.3, Note 1)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 (McNeill 2012, Articles H.1 to H.12)
- ↑ (McNeill 2012, Article H.9)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 (McNeill 2012, Article H.6 and H.7)
References
- Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
