**1. Introduction to Author Citations in Botany:**
– Full citations of the place where a scientific name was published are often omitted.
– Author citations in botany are covered by Articles 46–50 of the International Code of Nomenclature.
– Rules and recommendations for author citations in botany are specified in the International Code of Nomenclature.
– Botanical author citations differ from zoological ones.
**2. Basic Forms and Rules of Author Citations:**
– The simplest form of author citation in botany is used for names in their original rank and genus placement.
– The Latin term et or the symbol & can be used for joint authorship.
– Author citations may consist of two parts, with the first in parentheses.
– Changes in rank of a taxon can be indicated in author citations.
**3. Abbreviations in Author Citations:**
– Botanical names with author citations are often abbreviated.
– The International Code of Nomenclature recommends using standard abbreviations.
– Authors of Plant Names by Brummitt & Powell assigns unique abbreviations to authors.
– Standard abbreviations can be found at the International Plant Names Index.
**4. Usage of the Term “ex” in Author Citations:**
– The term ex in author citation indicates that a name was subsequently validly published by a different author.
– Ex is used to denote a change in authorship for a botanical name.
– Josef Schultes’ authorship example demonstrates the use of ex in author citation.
**5. Examples and Correct Citation Formats:**
– Various correct forms of citation exist for botanical names.
– Different formats can be used for original and revising author names.
– Examples from the genus Helianthemum show variations in author citations.
– Consistent formatting of author citations is important for clarity and accuracy.
In botanical nomenclature, author citation is the way of citing the person or group of people who validly published a botanical name, i.e. who first published the name while fulfilling the formal requirements as specified by the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN). In cases where a species is no longer in its original generic placement (i.e. a new combination of genus and specific epithet), both the authority for the original genus placement and that for the new combination are given (the former in parentheses).
In botany, it is customary (though not obligatory) to abbreviate author names according to a recognised list of standard abbreviations.
There are differences between the botanical code and the normal practice in zoology. In zoology, the publication year is given following the author names and the authorship of a new combination is normally omitted. A small number of more specialized practices also vary between the recommendations of the botanical and zoological codes.