International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants
The International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated or International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (short ICNCP ) regulates the uniform naming of cultivated varieties. It was developed by William Thomas Stearn and decided in 1952 by the 13th International Horticultural Congress in London. Since then it has been revised several times.
The code aims to ensure that crops are clearly identifiable by their names and serves the communication between growers, garden trade and plant lovers, even across national and linguistic boundaries. Subject of ICNCP are only the names of varieties, not their classification, characteristics or legal aspects of plant variety protection.
Ranks in ICNCP
The ICNCP provides for the designation of crops in addition to the ICBN only two categories, namely cultivar ( = variety) and Cultivar Group ( = group of variety). These ranks can be placed anywhere within genera, species, subspecies, varieties or forms. In addition, one and the same cultivar are associated with different cultivar groups. The ICNCP fulfilled primarily requirements for practicality and is less scientifically oriented than the ICBN with its hierarchical system of ranks.
Spelling of Cultivarnamen
Cultivars are named by the italicized scientific plant names appending a cultivar - epithet. This is written with an initial capital letter in normal font and additionally enclosed in single quotation marks above. The different typestyle is to prevent Cultivarnamen be confused with the scientific name of the plant.
Names of cultivars that have emerged from a known type, consist of species name and cultivar - epithet.
- Example: Phlox drummondii ' Star Magic '
In cultivars that have a more complex origin and no single species, but only one genus can be assigned, the specific epithet is omitted.
- Example: Rhododendron ' Garden Director Rieger '
Cultivars of simple species hybrids whose parents belong to the same genus, are written with the multiplication cross " x " before the epithet.
- Example: Heuchera × brizoides ' Scintillation ' (originating from a hybrid of Heuchera sanguinea and Heuchera americana)
In cultivars that have arisen from species hybrids, the " x " is placed before the name.
- Example: × Sorbaronia ' Titan' (the parents belong to the genera Sorbus and Aronia )
Cultivars based on Pfropfchimären, are written with the plus sign " " before the generic name.
- Example: Crataegomespilus potsdamensis ' Monekto '
Selection of important rules for Cultivarnamen
- The name must not appear within the corresponding group of plants ( genus ) only once.
- The name should consist of a living language, at least not originate from the Latin.
- The name must be at least two and may be at most 30 characters long.
- The name can not contain the scientific name or common name of the plant.
- Certain parts of the name are not permitted. These include terms such as " cultivar ", " shape ", " group ", " hybrid ", " mixture ", " seedling ", " selection ", " series ", " variety", " variety ", " changed ", " improved ". This limitation applies to the words in all languages.
- In the name of the desired letter of the alphabet and Arabic numerals following special characters are allowed: comma, period, hyphen, exclamation mark, apostrophe, slash and backslash.
- Peaks such as " best," " greatest," " most colorful " are not allowed.
- Simple descriptive words and offensive words should be avoided.
- The naming after a living person requires the express consent of that person.
- Brand name (protected trade names) may not be used as a species name.
In addition to the mandatory rules exist for the creation of Cultivarnamen further recommendations: The name should be short, easy to pronounce and easy to write. You should not misleading associations awaken and not a descent or origin pretend that is not actually given.
Publication and Registration
New Cultivarnamen must be published or officially registered in order to be given priority. Part of publishing a description. This must designate the characteristics in which the new variety of similar known varieties. Recommended is also to store pictures to publish and herbarium specimens in public collections, like is usual for the redescription of wild plants.
In many species there are because of long traditions of breeding hundreds or thousands of Cultivarnamen. In order to they look better, official register of varieties have been established for many plant groups. They are represented by the so-called International Cultivar Registration Authorities (short ICRA ) managed and updated. The institutions responsible for the update provide information about already assigned names and help breeders in selecting new name.
Cultivarnamen and trade names
Invent Sometimes the correct Cultivarname to remember is little descriptive or heavy, so breeder for trade and sale additional trade name (brand name). From the standpoint of the commercial use of a trademark has the advantage that it can be protected by law and therefore used similar to a patent exclusively. For Cultivarnamen is excluded. They must be allowed to be used without restrictions in all countries. For this reason, there are many varieties traded more than one name, namely the Cultivarname formed according to the rules of the ICNCP and one or more trade names may be used only with permission of the copyright holder.
For example, the correct Cultivarname a weigela with bronze foliage Weigela ' Bokrashine '; sold but this is under the name NAOMI CAMPBELL Weigela, because this term the consumer is catchy. Such trade names are regulated by either the ICNCP, nor do they have from the standpoint of botanical nomenclature considered of any importance. In practice, they nevertheless can not be ignored, as many farms, plant lovers and dealers the corresponding varieties rather than the trade names identify the Cultivarnamen less known. Also, most customers do not know the difference between Cultivarnamen and trade names.
The coexistence of Cultivar and trade name is the cause of considerable nomenclatural confusion in the field of ornamental and useful plants. In order to recognize trade names, they should be written in a different typestyle, eg in Versalschrift, and may not be enclosed in single quotes.