Botanical name
From Freepedia
A botanical name is a formal name conforming to the ICBN. Also called "scientific name", but note that this has a wider meaning and may also refer to a zoological, bacterial or viral name.
Botanical names may be in one part (genus and above), two parts (species and above, but below the rank of genus) or three parts (below the rank of species).
Examples:
Monocotyledones (monocots)
Coniferae (the conifers)
Fagaceae (the oak family)
Leguminosae (the pea or legume family)
Betula (the birch genus)
Acacia subg. Phyllodineae (the wattles)
Gossypium barbadense (Egyptian cotton)
Theobroma cacao subsp. cacao (criollo chocolate)
A name in three parts, i.e. the name of an infraspecific taxon (below the rank of species) needs a "connecting term" to indicate rank. In the Theobroma-example above this is "subsp." (for subspecies). In botany there are many ranks below that of species (in zoology there is only one such rank, i.e. subspecies, so that this "connecting term" is unnecessary there). A name of a "subdivison of a genus" also needs a connecting term (in the Acacia-example above this is "subg.", subgenus). Such a connecting term is not part of the name itself.
A taxon may be indicated by a listing in more than three parts: "Saxifraga aizoon var. aizoon subvar. brevifolia f. multicaulis subf. surculosa Engl. & Irmsch." but this is a classification, not a formal botanical name. The botanical name is Saxifraga aizoon subf. surculosa Engl. & Irmsch. (ICBN, Art 24, Ex 1)
All botanical names should be italicized. This is better accepted for names at the rank of genus and below, than for names above the rank of genus; many publications do not italicize the names at the higher ranks. Presumably this will improve in future.
Also see ICZN.
