Introduction to ICN
The process of naming plants based on international rules proposed by
botanists to ensure stable and universal system is called botanical
nomenclature. It is an essential process to overcome the problems of
common names. The botanists agreed to lay down certain rules and
conditions. The main suggestion was that language should be in Latin as it is
not a national language of any country and moreover it is dead language. A
lot of previous literature is written in Latin. The ICBN is an agreement
between botanists around the world to follow Binomial system of naming.
History of ICN
Before the middle of 18 t h century the names of plants were polynomials
consisting of several words. Linnaeus proposed elementary rules in his book
named ‘Philosophia botanica’ in 1751. In 1813 A.P. de Candolle proposed
details of the rules regarding plant nomenclature in Theorie elementaire de
la botanique. In 1867, Alphonse de candolle, son of A.P. de candolle
convened a meeting of all botanists to present these rules. This first
Botanical congress was held at Paris and the laws framed therein were called
as Paris code.
In 1930, the fifth International Botanical Congress (IBC) was held in England
to frame rules and regulations for naming plants. In July 1975, twelfth
meeting was held at Leningrad, USSR. Based on the resolutions of these
meetings, the existing system of International Code of Botanical
Nomenclature (ICBN) was adapted from 1978. The IBC meets every 5 to 6
years to decide any additions or changes in the naming and numbering of
plants. The 18 t h IBC congress was held at Melbourne in 2011 and the latest
19 t h IBC was held in Shenzen, China in July 2017.
Principles of ICN
1. Botanical nomenclature is not dependent of Zoological nomenclature and is
different.
2. The code of botanical nomenclature applies equally to all names of
taxonomic groups which are treated as plants.
3. The names of taxonomic groups are determined by nomenclatural types.
4. When a species is described as new, the author must indicate the type of
specimen on which new species is based.
5. The nomenclature of taxonomic group is based on priority of publication.
6. Each taxonomic group with a particular circumscription, position and route
can bear only one correct name that is in accordance with the rules except in
specific cases.
7. Scientific names are treated as Latin irrespective of their derivation.
8. The rules of nomenclature are retroactive unless expressly limited.
The aim of ICN
To provide stable method of nomenclature
To avoid and reject the names which cause confusion.
To avoid useless creation of names
The code is divided into rules and recommendations. Examples are added to
the rules and recommendations to illustrate them. The objective of the rules
is to bring past nomenclature into order and to follow rules for future
nomenclature. The objective of the recommendations is to bring uniformity
and clearness in future nomenclature.
Ranks and ending of taxa names
The plant kingdom is divided into number of categories which differ in their
rank and size. In biological classification, rank is the relative position in a
taxonomic hierarchy. Examples of taxonomic ranks are species, genus, family
order etc. Each rank subsumes under it a number of less general categories.
The basic unit in the classification of plants is Species. A species is defined
as a single type of living organisms.
The group of closely related species is known as Genus.
For example, the genus Hibiscus is made up of closely related species, which
differ in their vegetative characters.
The group of closely related genera is known as family. Scientific name of a
family usually ends in ‘-ceae’.
For example, Hibiscus belongs to family is Malvaceae, it consists of several
genera like Gossypium (cotton), Abelmoschus (lady’s finger) etc.
The group of closely related families is known as order. Scientific name of an
order ends in ‘-ales’.
For example, Hibiscus order is Malvales which includes family like Malvaceae,
Dipterocarpaceae.
When these groups are large, they are subdivided as suborder, subfamily,
sub-tribe, sub-genus. They all end in a standardized manner as shown below,
Rank Ending of names
Division -phyta
Class -opsida
Sub class -idea
Order -ales
Sub order -ineae
Family -aceae
Sub family -oideae
Some of the families do not end with -aceae, so they are provided with
alternative names like,
Cruciferae – Brassicaceae
Compositae – Asteraceae
Graminae – Poaceae
Guttiferae – Clusiaceae
Leguminosae – fabaceae
Palmae – Arecaceae
Umbelliferae – Apiaceae
