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, 2000). 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 300 types. Included are: holotypes, isotypes, lectotypes, isolectotypes, neotypes, isoneotypes, syntypes, paratypes, and types whose designation has not yet been determined. Definitions of these types of types and 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 holotypes, isotypes, lectotypes, neotypes and syntypes.
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