Question

Which name is invalid?

• A. Name not published in Species Plantarum.
• B. Name proposed prior to 1961.
• C. Name which is not in Latin.
• D. Name for which holotype is not designated.

Answer 1

The correct option is D Name for which holotype is not designated.

Linnaeus described all plant species known to him in his book “Species Plantarum, 1753” in which he used the system of binomial nomenclature for first time. This makes option A incorrect as not all the plant species were described in this book. The scientific names of species are treated as in Latin regardless of their origin; this makes option C incorrect. According to principle of Priority, names published on or after May 1753 (the date of publication of The Species Plantarum) are considered valid; option B is incorrect. According to principle of typification, holotype is a specimen or illustration which is designated as representative of a species and is used for identification of new specimen. It is mandatory to mention the holotype during publication of new species on or after 1 January 1958; option D is correct. Thus, the correct answer is option D.