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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Washington, D.C. » National Arboretum » Floral and Nursery Plants Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #369261
Research Project: Systematics, Nomenclature, and Genetic Diversity of Priority Genera of Woody Landscape Plants

Location: Floral and Nursery Plants Research

Title: Lectotypification of the Allium perdulce (Amaryllidaceae)

Author
item SVOBODA, HARLAN - Orise Fellow
item MAYFIELD, MARK - Smithsonian Institute

Submitted to: Phytotaxa
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2019
Publication Date: 12/1/2020
Citation: Svoboda, H., Mayfield, M.H. 2020. Lectotypification of the Allium perdulce (Amaryllidaceae). Phytotaxa. 434(1):128-130. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.434.1.11.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.434.1.11

Interpretive Summary: The name Allium perdulce was described by S.V. Fraser in 1939, but never properly typified. While verifying the status of alleged type specimens in the holdings of the U.S. National Arboretum Herbarium (NA), we discovered a specimen of Allium perdulce that had several contradictory type annotations on the sheet. Additional study of the specimen revealed that the specimen at NA was not a single gathering, as defined by the International Code of Nomenclature, but rather a mixed collection from different dates and locations.Based on original material in the herbarium of Kansas State University (KSC) we have chosen a lectotype to stabilize the nomenclature of this species.

Technical Abstract: While verifying the status of alleged type specimens in the holdings of the U.S. National Arboretum Herbarium (NA), we discovered a specimen of Allium perdulce S.V.Fraser (1939: 124), Fraser 72, that had several contradictory type annotations on the sheet. Additional study of the label and the protologue revealed that the specimen at NA was not a single gathering, as defined by the International Code of Nomenclature, but rather a mixed collection from different dates and locations. The protologue of Allium perdulce states that the “type specimen” was deposited in the herbarium at Kansas State University (KSC) with “cotypes” being sent to GH, US, and NA. Thus, type material was sought at KSC to verify if the specimen at NA was in fact part of the type collection. We determined that the Fraser 72 specimen at NA, a mixed gathering bearing the date June 1, 1938, does not appear to match with Fraser’s intended type collection and should not be considered one. Based on original material in the herbarium of Kansas State University (KSC) we have chosen a lectotype to stabilize the nomenclature of this species.