(2974) Proposal to conserve the name <i>Frankenia ericifolia</i> C. Sm. ex <scp>DC</scp>. against <i>F. ericifolia</i> Salisb. (<i>Frankeniaceae</i>)

(2974) Frankenia ericifolia C. Sm. ex DC., Prodr. 1: 350. Jan (med.) 1824 [Angiosp.: Franken.], nom. cons. prop. Lectotypus (hic designatus): [Spain. Canary Islands], “Frankenia vulg. in Teneriffa et aliis ins. – rupibus maritimis, 1816, Smith” (G-DC barcode G00211215 [fragm. on lower part of sheet]). (H) Salisb., Stirp. Chap. Allerton: 214. Nov–Dec 1796, illeg. (F. laevis L.), rej. (vide Whalen Regnum Veg. 127: 47. 1993): Löfling, Herb. Linnaeus No. 457.1 (LINN). The name DC. is currently applied to cespitose perennial plants, with leaves revolute subflattened, minutely whitish-papillate beneath and pilose glabrescent above, long petiolate; flowers often 1–3, terminal groups, calyx 3–4 mm long, strongly twisted after anthesis, papillate grooves, petals 4–5 whitish pinkish. In the protologue, Candolle (Prodr. 1824) ascribed Norwegian collector Christen [or Christian] Smith Smidt] (1785–1816); species was said occur “in maritimis insularum Canariensium”, brief comments its affinities other congeners, such as F. corymbosa Desf. intermedia were also included. No specimen cited a later lectotypification not known present authors. Among material identified Candolle's herbarium, four specimens (i.e., G00211196, G00211197, G00211215, G00211216) mounted two sheets are found that collected Islands prior by different collectors at times. They all can therefore be considered original hence eligible type. particular, (see https://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/chg/adetail.php?id=198967; online resources accessed 9 May 2023) bears labels: (i) | maritimis”, probably handwritten Smith, (ii) “Canaries M. Chr. 1816”, handwriting. Since fragment matches description protologue Ch. sea-cliffs Tenerife, it designated here lectotype Some morphological variation exists analysed Webb & Berthelot (Hist. Nat. Iles Canaries 3(2,1): 132. 1837), who described varieties based habit, leaf morphology indumentum distribution: var. microphylla widespread whole archipelago, latifolia occurring Tenerife La Palma (both Berthelot, l.c.: 132, t. 17 15. 1837). These names sometimes regarded applying distinct subspecies Brochmann al. Nordic J. Bot. 15: 603–623. 1995; Beierkuhnlein Diversity 13: e480. 2021). Treated broad sense, (Hansen Sunding Sommerfeltia 17: 130–131. 1993; al., l.c.) Cape Verde archipelago (Brochmann l.c. 1995). It maritime cliffs rocky habitats close sea shore, where halophytic vegetation included some European conservation laws below). However, recent taxonomic work Verdean flora Rivas-Martínez (in Int. Geobot. Res. 7: 1–103. 2017) suggests should narrowed exclusively Canarian populations, whereas plants would belong vicarious which pseudoericifolia Rivas Mart. applied. References presence s.l. northwestern Africa (Sidi Ifni Morocco) doubtful, fact listed Moroccan floras (Ouyahya Fennane Fl. Prat. Maroc 331–334. 1999). This restrictive treatment both admitted POWO (https://powo.science.kew.org/results?q=Frankenia) accepted here. any case, illegitimate used following ICN (Turland 159. 2018). because compound “F. Ericaefolia”, corrected according Art. 60.10(b) Ex. 36–37, had first been coined Salisbury 1796) for plant. latter name, however, nomenclaturally superfluous when published since solely validated including L. (Sp. Pl.: 331. 1753) synonymy (Art. 6.12(a)), makes replacement 52.1 52.2(e)). A (LINN 457.1) 1993) L., automatically type Salisbury's 7.5). consequence, use homonym unavailable even although (the earlier homonym) itself 53.1 Note 2). this scenario, unless rules suspended favour proposed conserved new 6.11) well-established endemic, due existence an almost forgotten homonym, has never last centuries. Macaronesian checklists (e.g., Hansen Sunding, l.c.; 24: 228–237. 1997; Bramwell Bramwell, Silvest. Islas Canarias, ed. 4. 2001; Acebes Ginovés Izquierdo Lista Espec. Silv. Canarias: 96–143. 2004; l.c.), broadly influential websites, African Plant Database (https://africanplantdatabase.ch/en/nomen/143392), Euro+Med PlantBase (http://ww2.bgbm.org/EuroPlusMed/PTaxonDetail.asp?NameCache=Frankenia%20ericifolia&PTRefFk=7500000), Global Biodiversity Information Facility-GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/es/species/8596463), Plants World Online-POWO (https://powo.science.kew.org/results?q=Frankenia), Tela Botanica-France (https://www.tela-botanica.org/bdtfx-nn-85170-synthese), TROPICOS (https://tropicos.org/name/100339488), or Flora Online-WFO (https://wfoplantlist.org/plant-list/taxon/wfo-0000692006-2022-12?page=1). parallel, most those same Salisb. “nomen illegitimum” Google Scholar string search (10 Salisb.” returned only 10 results, them pointing out illegitimacy synonym Far more numerous results (over 1300) obtained from parallel strings C.Sm. DC.” Ch.Sm. DC.”. high percentage entries correspond sites general information flora, testifies usage among amateur botanists conservationists. Furthermore, one key natural habitat “1250 Vegetated endemic coasts”, Interpretation Manual Union Habitats: EUR 25 (2003) basis plant communities fragile coastal ecosystems, framework “Habitats Directive” (Council Directive 92/43/EEC 21 1992 wild fauna flora; https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A31992L0043). characterises locally so-called “Aerohaline Madeira (Frankenio-Astydamietalia latifoliae)”, forms formal several syntaxa widely phytosociological classification Itin. 14: 1–341. 2001). includes alliance Frankenio (ericifoliae)-Astydamion latifoliae Santos 1976 association ericifoliae-Astydamietum Lohmeyer Trautmann 1976. All these vegetation-type phytosociological, ecological studies many biological if replaced they need changed, 44 “International Code Phytosociological Nomenclature” (cf. Theurillat Appl. Sci. e12491. Therefore, reasons, we formally propose conserve under 14 against avoid disadvantageous nomenclatural changes best serve stability nomenclature. Acceptance proposal preserve traditional concept eliminate On contrary, failure accept create undesirable instability add unnecessary confusion taxonomists, phytosociologists conservationists, affecting current Spanish seminatural conservation. MBC, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3294-5637 MÁA, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3768-9203 MMA, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2605-9575 curators herbaria text kindly thanked. We very grateful, usual, John McNeill (Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K. Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada) Wiersema (Department Botany, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., U.S.A.) their editorial wise suggestions. partly supported grants UAUSTI21-04, UAUSTI22-05, ACIE20-01, ACIE21-01 ACIE22-01, VIGROB2022-166, diverse programmes Universidad de Alicante, Spain.