TYPE SPECIMENS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA HERBARIUM ABOUT TYPE SPECIMENS

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A nomenclatural type specimen is a herbarium sheet(s) or illustration to which the name of a taxon (species, genus, subspecies, etc.) is permanently assigned, whether as a correct name or as a synonym. The type specimen chosen for the name is not necessarily the typical or representative element of a taxon (International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, 2006). Type specimens coupled with published descriptions may be considered the foundation of scientific plant names, botanical nomenclature. The number of type specimens at the University of Florida Herbarium is not known. Type specimens were formerly intermingled within the general collections and a list of them was never kept. Furthermore, many of the type specimens do not have any markings on them to indicate that they are types. We are now discovering these specimens through routine collection use and literature review. This work-in-progress currently enumerates about 700 types. Hundreds of bryophyte and lichen types are currently being researched for addition. Types included are: holotypes, isotypes, lectotypes, isolectotypes, neotypes, isoneotypes, syntypes, isosyntypes, paratypes, "cultivar types", "clonotypes" and types whose designation has not yet been determined. Definitions for the type terminologies used in our site are below. Guidelines for annotation of type specimens may be found in the UF Herbarium web page, "Annotation of Type Specimens: Recommendations," by Kent D. Perkins and Wendy B. Zomlefer. High resolution digital images are being linked in as available for all of our type specimens. Type Terms Used In This Site (partially based on The International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, Chapter II, Section 2, Article 9) Holotype: the one specimen* or illustration used by the author, or designated by the author as the nomenclatural type. Isotype: any duplicate specimen of the holotype. Lectotype: a specimen or illustration designated as the type when no holotype was indicated at the time of publication. If possible, the lectotype should be selected from the syntypes or original material. Isolectotype**: any duplicate specimen of the lectotype. Syntype: any one of two or more specimens cited in the protologue when no holotype was designated, or any one of two or more specimens simultaneously designated as types in the original description. Monographers are urged to select a lectotype from among the syntypes whenever possible. Isosyntype: a duplicate specimen of a syntype. Neotype: a specimen or illustration selected as the type when all of the material on which the name of the taxon was based is missing. Isoneotype**: any duplicate specimen of the neotype. Paratype: a specimen cited in the protologue that is neither the holotype, isotype, nor one of the syntypes. These are often listed as representative specimens in the original description. Epitype: "a specimen or illustration selected to serve as an interpretative type when the holotype, lectotype, or previously designated neotype, or all original material associated with a validly published name, is demonstrably ambiguous and cannot be critically identified for purposes of the precise application of the name of a taxon." (ICBN Ch. 2, Sec. 2, Art. 9.7) The holotype, lectotype, or neotype that the epitype supports must be explicitly cited when the epitype is designated (see Art. 9.18). Topotype**: a specimen of the same species as the type collected from the original type locality. Type**: specimens which are believed to be a type but the exact type status has not been researched or determined. Photo of a Type**: a photograph of a type specimen. Cultivar type: the so-called "type" specimen of a horticultural cultivar. Some such specimens have been called clonotypes by researchers, but we use a different definition for that term (below). Clonotype**: used in our database to denote "a specimen taken from a vegetatively propagated part of the individual plant from which the type specimen was obtained" as defined in: Fernald, H.T. 1939. On type nomenclature. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 32(4): 689-702, p. 693. Non-type: specimens which are erroneously labelled as types should be annotated as, "Not a Type." * The terms specimen and duplicate are given their usual meaning in herbarium curatorial practice. A specimen and its duplicates are part of a single gathering of a single species or infraspecific taxon made by a collector at one time. Although not specifically stated in ICBN, the specimen and its duplicates should all have the same collector number. ** These terms are commonly used but are not officially designated in the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, 2006.

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Please send questions and comments to: Kent D. Perkins, University of Florida Herbarium Copyright ©, 1995-2009, University of Florida Herbarium / Florida Museum of Natural History Updated: 17 Feb 2009