Consider these names in our data_base_s Indigofera astragalina                        Syn: I. hirsuta       Phyllanthus amarus                          Syn: P. nirurii Ficus microcarpa                              Syn: F. retusa Crateva adansonii                              syn: C.. religiosa Acalypha lanceolata                          Syn: A. indica Zizyphus mauritiana                          Syn: Z. jububa The Plant names without author names are sometimes used in general purpose books and text books, not in taxonomic treatments or data_base_s. Whenever these are used without author names, it is understood that there is only one species by that name, or the validly published one. If we apply this logic our names would be wriiten as under: Indigofera astragalina DC., 1825          Syn: I. hirsuta Linn., 1753 Phyllanthus amarus Schumach., 1827    Syn: P. nirurii Linn., 1753 Ficus microcarpa Linn.f., 1781                Syn: F. retusa Linn., 1753 Crateva adansonii DC., 1824               syn: C. religiosa G. Forst., 1786 Acalypha lanceolata Willd, 1768         Syn: A. indica Linn., 1753 Zizyphus mauitiana Lamk., 1789        Syn: Z. jujuba Mill, 1789. In all these cases the synonym is of earlier date, and should be used as correct name and not as synonym. We are using them as synonyms because they were named as accepted names in Hooker's Flora of British India, and other Indian Floras, but the indian material was  subsequently found to be different species. The citations would be meaningful if properly cited as under: Indigofera astragalina DC., 1825          Syn: I. hirsuta Baker (non Linn.,  1753) Phyllanthus amarus Schumach., 1827    Syn: P. nirurii Hook.f. (non Linn., 1753)     (however, I don't find any standard publication following this nomenclature. The most usually followed is this one: Phyllanthus fraternus Webster, 1955        Syn: P. niruri Hook.f. (non Linn.)                     ) Ficus microcarpa Linn.f., 1781                Syn: F. retusa auct. (non Linn., 1753) Crateva adansonii DC., 1824               syn: C. religiosa Auct (non G. Forst., 1786) Acalypha lanceolata Willd, 1768         Syn: A. indica Linn., 1753   (I don't know of any publication which cites A. indica as synonym of A. lanceolata. In case they are synonyms, A. indica should be accepted name, unless it is another case of misidentification with A. indica) Zizyphus mauitiana Lamk., 1789        Syn: Z. jujuba Lamk. (non Mill, 1768) Our data_base_s are slowly expanding and should soon becaome most frequently visited by plant lovers and botanists , and I feel the need for proper represntation of data  .and this can happen only if names of species and authors are properly represented. It may take some time to correct older records, but atleast from now onwards we can decide to include names and synonyms with proper author citation, to make our data_base_s useful to botanists in general and researchers in particular. Dr. Gurcharan Singh Associate Professor SGTB Khalsa College University of Delhi, Delhi India http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45

With due respects to Dr. Gurcharan Singh, For author citations, according to ICBN, it is recommended that abbreviations needs to be followed for authors using following reference (RECOMMENDATION 46A, ICBN): Brummitt, R. K. and C. E. Powell. 1992. Authors of plant names: a list of authors of scientific names of plants, with recommended standard forms of their names, including abbreviations. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. There are various editions of this book, which keep updating information with the new author names and their abbreviations. So, Carolus Linnaeus is cited as 'L.' and not as 'Linn.' and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck is cited as 'Lam.' and not as 'Lamk.'. Some of these abbreviations are present at the following site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_botanists_by_author_abbreviation The latest code of ICBN: Vienna Code is available at the following _link_ for free: http://ibot.sav.sk/icbn/main.htm I am sending this information just incase members want it to be standardized properly, for use by both taxonomists as well as non-botanists. Regards Pankaj

Thanks Pankaj ji for information. We are students all our life, and there is nothing better than learning few things. Nothing to feel apologitic Dr. Gurcharan Singh Associate Professor SGTB Khalsa College University of Delhi, Delhi India http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45 - Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -