(111) Request for a binding decision on whether Gymnosporia (Wight & Arn.) Benth. & Hook. f. (Celastraceae) and Gymnospora (Chodat) J.F.B. Pastore (Polygalaceae) are sufficiently alike to be confused

Abstract

(111) Gymnosporia (Wight & Arn.) Benth. & Hook. f. (1862) [Angiosp.: Celastr.]

Gymnospora (Chodat) J.F.B. Pastore (2013) [Angiosp.: Polygal.]

Gymnospora (Chodat) J.F.B. Pastore (Polygalaceae), a small genus including two species, both endemic to Brazil, was elevated to generic status by Pastore (in Novon 22: 305. 2013). Previously this taxon had been recognized as a section of Polygala by Chodat (in Biblioth. Universelle Rev. Suisse 25: 698. 1891; in Mém. Soc. Phys. Genève 31(2), no. 2: 87. 1893) or as a subgenus by Paiva (in Fontqueria 50: 147. 1998). When Pastore (l.c.) decided to adopt Gymnospora as a generic name, the similarity with Gymnosporia (Wight & Arn.) Benth. & Hook. f. (Gen. Pl. 1: 359, 365. 1862), nom. cons. (Celastraceae) was certainly overlooked. Gymnosporia, based in Celastrus sect. Gymnosporia Wight & Arn. (Prodr. Fl. Ind. Orient. 1: 159. 1834), is conserved with a conserved type against Catha Forssk. ex Scop. (1777), Scytophyllum Eckl. & Zeyh. (1834–1835), Encentrus C. Presl (1845), and Polyacanthus C. Presl (1845). Gymnosporia has an Old World distribution, including about 115 species.

While there are no parallel binding decisions on generic names ending in -sporia/-ius/-ium vs. -spora/-us/-um as to whether or not they are sufficiently alike to be confused and treated as homonyms, there are some decisions on names ending in -ia versus -a. Examples include Gaillona Bonnem. (1828) [Algae] vs. Gaillonia DC. (1830) [Angiosp.: Rubiaceae] and Gillena Adans. (1763) [Angiosp.: Clethraceae] vs. Gillenia Moench (1802) [Angiosp.: Rosaceae], both not considered homonyms. On the other hand, Andinia (Luer) Luer (2000) [Angiosp.: Orchidaceae] vs. Andina J.A. Jiménez & M.J. Cano (2012) [Mosses] and Huberia DC. (1828) [Angiosp.: Melastomataceae] vs. Hubera Chaowasku (2012) [Angiosp.: Annonaceae] are treated as homonyms. Because the ending -spora is not rare, and perhaps because accidentally this spelling was much more used for angiosperm generic names than -sporia, there are cases where Gymnosporia was mistakenly spelled as Gymnospora, in some cases even on the titles of scientific papers (see Monpara & al. in Int. J. Bioinf. Intelligent Computing 2: 82–98. 2023; Kotade & Hiremath in Asian J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 5: 78–84. 2019; Anil & Talluri in Rasayan J. Chem. 14: 2318–2326. 2021; and Van Wyk & Gericke, People's Plants: Useful Pl. S. Africa: 126. 1998). Given that the situation is not easily interpreted, a binding decision from Nomenclature Committees will certainly bring stability. If Gymnospora and Gymnosporia are treated as homonyms, a replacement name must be proposed for Gymnospora (Chodat) J.F.B. Pastore since this name is in use for Brazilian taxa (see https://floradobrasil.jbrj.gov.br).