Proposal (36) to conserve the name Philonotidion seriatae Hinterlang 1992 for the species-poor, bryophyte-dominated, non-calcareous arctic-alpine spring vegetation of Europe

Abstract

According to the International Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature, a younger name of a syntaxon may be conserved against its older name to improve the stability of the nomenclature and avoid misunderstandings in scientific communication. Here, we propose conserving the name Philonotidion seriatae Hinterlang 1992 for arctic-alpine, bryophyte-dominated, non-calcareous spring vegetation against the names Cardamino-Montion Braun-Blanquet 1925, Cardamino-Montion Braun-Blanquet 1926, and Montion Maas 1959. In current vegetation classification systems, the two name-giving taxa of Cardamino-Montion no longer indicate the character of the vegetation corresponding to the nomenclatural type of this alliance and are instead characteristic of other currently distinguished alliances. Maintaining the oldest name Cardamino-Montion in strict adherence to the Code would be a source of errors. In the current vegetation classification systems, two similar but counter-intuitive names would then have to be used: Cardamino-Montion for arctic-alpine springs (although the name-giving taxa are more indicative of montane springs) and Epilobio nutantis-Montion for montane springs (although the name-giving taxon Epilobium nutans is indicative of arctic-alpine vegetation). Hence, there is a risk that the name Cardamino-Montion may gradually become ambiguous. We also propose conserving the name Philonotidion seriatae against Mniobryo-Epilobion hornemannii Nordhagen 1943 to prevent confusion in case of a merger of these alliances. (36) Philonotidion seriatae Hinterlang 1992 Typus: Cratoneuro-Philonotidetum Geissler 1976 (holotypus) (=) Cardamino-Montion Braun-Blanquet 1925 Typus: Bryetum schleicheri Braun-Blanquet 1925 [≡ Montio fontanae-Bryetum schleicheri Braun-Blanquet 1925 nom. corr. et invers. (alternative name)] (holotypus) (=) Cardamino-Montion Braun-Blanquet 1926 nom. superfl. [≡ Cardamino-Montion Braun-Blanquet 1925] (=) Mniobryo-Epilobion hornemannii Nordhagen 1943 Typus: Mniobryo-Epilobietum hornemannii Nordhagen 1943 (lectotypus selected by Zechmeister & Mucina 1994) (=) Montion Maas 1959 nom. superfl. [≡ Cardamino-Montion Braun-Blanquet 1925] Taxonomic reference: Euro+Med PlantBase (http://europlusmed.org; accessed 4 January 2024)