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Type: Correspondence
Published: 2021-03-16
Page range: 298–300
Abstract views: 24
PDF downloaded: 1

New names in living Ocotea Aubl. (Lauraceae) and a remark on Litsea cuneata

Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Biodiversidade, Av. 24 A 1515, Bela Vista, Caixa Postal 199, 13506-900 Rio Claro, SP, Brazil.
Ocotea Litsea Lauraceae Magnoliids

Abstract

In the present communication, after checking fossil plant names in the International Fossil Plant Names Index (IFPNI 2014–onwards), the homonymy of two fossil and extant species names of Ocotea Aublet (1775: 780) has been detected and resolved. Ocotea alata van der Werff (1991: 416) (extant) is replaced by a new name O. loretensis nom. nov., because of the earlier homonym O. alata Givulescu (1975: 173) (fossil leaves), according to Article 53.1 of the ICN (Turland et al. 2018). Similarly, O. morona-santiagoensis nom. nov. is proposed to replace the later illegitimate homonym O. pilosa van der Werff (2020: 220) (extant) non O. pilosa Givulescu (1975: 172) (fossil leaves). An additional homonym was found in extant Litsea Lamarck (1792: 574) that is preoccupied by a fossil. However, since it is currently recognized as a taxonomic synonym of Litsea tomentosa Blume (1826: 566), there is no need to create a nomen novum for it.