Classification & Nomenclature

Classification of Alocasia

Araceae →

Family Name



Alocasia →

Genus



indica →

Specific Epithet



var. heterophylla →

Variety


'Golden Waves' →

Cultivar


First letter capitalized

NOT italicized



First letter capitalized

Italicized



All letters lowercase

Italicized



All letters lowercase

var. NOT italicized; Other letters italicized


First letter capitalized

NOT italicized; In single quotes

Note: The 'Golden Waves' cultivar does not actually exist. This is merely here for example purposes


Species [Genus + Specific Epithet]

= Alocasia indica


Variety [Species + Variety]

= Alocasia indica var. heterophylla


Cultivar [Species + Variety (if applicable) + Cultivar]

= Alocasia indica var. heterophylla 'Golden Waves'

Authorship

On the right side of the scientific name is the name of the person/s who first validly published the name:

Araceae Jussieu

-This plant family was first named and described by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu.

Aroideae Schott

-This plant subfamily was first named and described by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott.

Alocasia (Schott) G.Don

-The name was first listed as Colocasia sect. Alocasia by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott in "Meletemata Botanica" (1832), but Alocasia was later described by George Don in "Sweet’s Hortus Britannicus" (1839) as its own genus.

Alocasia nycteris Medecilo, Yao & Madulid

-The species was first formally named and described by the authors: Melanie P. Medecilo, George C. Yao, and Domingo A. Madulid.

Alocasia indica (Lour.) Spach

-Named and described originally by Loureiro as Colocasia indica, but was later changed to Alocasia indica by Édouard Spach.

Alocasia indica var. diversifolia Engl.

-A variety of Alocasia indica described by Heinrich Gustav Adolf Engler.

Type

Holotype - primary specimen upon which a name is based, designated at the time of publication.

Isotype - duplicate of the holotype, collected at the same time by the same person from the same place.

Lectotype - selected from the original material to serve as the type when the holotype is not available.

Neotype - specimen derived from a non-original collection that is selected to serve as the type.

References:

Streich, A., & Kim Todd. (2014). Classification and Naming of Plants. University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication. Retrieved April 14, 2022, from https://alec.unl.edu/documents/cde/2017/natural-resources/classification-and-naming-of-plants.pdf

The Belmont Rooster. (n.d.). Alocasia boa. Retrieved April 14, 2022, from https://thebelmontrooster.com/families-of-familiar-plants/araceae-family/alocasia/alocasia-boa/