Synonymy: why
plants can have more than one valid name
Although each species is meant to have only one name under our
system of nomenclatural rules, there are often several names
that are applied under different circumstances. This is because
some of them are to be applied following different
classification systems, for example when different genera are
recognized. Others are only applied when a narrow concept of the
species is applied, falling into synonymy if the smaller species
are lumped together into larger species, for which fewer names
are required.
These names that can all apply to the same plant or group of
plants are called synonyms, and there are different kinds of
synonym:
Homotypic or nomenclatural
synonyms: (Names belonging to the same type)
Each species recognized can only have one correct name within a
particular genus Homotypic synonyms come about when a name is
nomenclaturally incorrect or sometimes when a species is moved
from one genus to another. Homotypic synonyms have a single (set
of) type(s). One name is valid; other name(s) are invalid with
reference to that type lot. Homotypic synonyms concerns names or
combinations
Heterotypic or taxonomic synonyms: (Names belonging to
the same taxon)
Heteroytpic synonyms are synonyms that refer to different types
with which different names are associated, but which the
scientist concerned considers to be the same taxon but different
type
Heterotypic synonyms reflect a scientific opinion about
distinctness of (terminal) taxa. Heterotypic synonyms always
have different sets of types. One of the taxa is the currently
accepted taxon.. Heterotypic synonyms concerns most often taxa
at the terminal or subterminal levels
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