×Sorbaronia fallax (C.K.Schneid.) C.K.Schneid. nothosubsp. mitschurinii (A.K.Skvortsov & Maitul.) nothosubsp. nov., with taxonomical notes on Aronia ×prunifolia ‘Floribunda’ sensu Cinovskis (Maleae, Amygdaloideae, Rosaceae)

Abstract

For a while, two species were known—Aronia mitschurinii [known also under the names Aronia melanocarpa auctt., Aronia ×prunifolia auctt., and Aronia ×prunifolia ‘Floribunda’ sensu Cinovskis] and ×Sorbaronia fallax. Discoveries over the past 20 years led to the inclusion of A. mitschurinii in the genus ×Sorbaronia as ×S. mitschurinii in 2013, still recognizing it as a separate species. Since ×S. mitschurinii is a backcross between true Aronia melanocarpa and ×S. fallax, in 2021, the name ×S. mitschurinii was synonymized with ×S. fallax to follow the provisions of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Shenzhen Code). Unfortunately, ×Sorbaronia fallax s. str. and ×S. mitschurinii s. str. are morphologically very different taxa. Furthermore, ×S. mitschurinii s. str. is the first artificially created species that has for some time already become invasive in Europe. In order to ensure practical needs in horticulture and nature conservation, where both of these taxa have been separated as two different species for a long time, this paper makes a nomenclatural act to raise ×S. mitschurinii from synonyms to nothosubspecies status—×Sorbaronia fallax nothosubsp. mitschurinii nothosubsp. nov. The new taxonomic approach will make it possible to distinguish two morphologically different taxa in the future, henceforth invasive plants will respectively be called ×Sorbaronia fallax nothosubsp. mitschurinii and those cultivated only in gardens will be called ×Sorbaronia fallax nothosubsp. fallax. The name Aronia ×prunifolia ‘Floribunda’ sensu Cinovskis used by Latvian authors is nothing more than ×Sorbaronia fallax nothosubsp. mitschurinii.