Flag for Taxon: Subspecies Ixia odorata odorata
| Flagger | Content Author | Content | Reason | Flag Created | Resolved by | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| jeremygilmore | rfoster | Subspecies Ixia odorata odorata |
Invalid? |
Sep. 14, 2023 17:20:41 +0000 | jeremygilmore |
Swapped; see comments |
Comments
Again, the name Ixia odorata var. hesperanthoides is valid BUT we do not recognise it as distinct from typical var. odarata, so yes please sink it
Yes, it has been sunk, BUT:
"Plants treated as I. odorata var. hesperanthoides Lewis (1962) remain puzzling.
The type collection has white flowers with a perianth tube only ± 5 mm long, tepals ± 8 mm long, and anthers 3.5–4.5 mm long, all smaller than in typical I. odorata. Other features accord with typical I. odorata, although the length of the style branches is also shorter than the normal 4–5 mm of the species.
The type collection was said to have flowers opening in the late afternoon, unlike ± 11:00 for typical, yellow- flowered I. odorata, indicating that some white-flowered populations, as the type of var. hesperanthoides, represent a separate race, possibly even a separate species.
Additional research is needed to assess their status."
(Goldblatt, P. & Manning, J.C. 2020. Iridaceae of southern Africa. Strelitzia 42. South African National Biodiversity
Institute, Pretoria)
So why was this sunk? Surely, based on this, keeping it as a separate taxon would be a logical option?
@jeremygilmore - please use the correct terminology.
Ixia odorata var. hesperanthoides is regarded as a synonym. It is a old valid concept, that is now considered the same taxon as the nominotypical. The name is validly published (has a type, a published description (in Latin too!).
Also, the nominotypical name of a valid species, is always valid, just assumed, and not invoked unless there is another subspecies or variety.
Note on iNat, the correct terminology is that these need to be "swapped" into the parent taxon. Although I would do both vars in one go as a "merge".
According to POWO and BODATSA the varieties (namely Ixia odorata var. hesperanthoides) are invalid - @johnmanning @tonyrebelo before sinking, is this correct?