Pennisetum polystachion (L.) Schult.

Jarvis, Charlie, 2007, Chapter 7: Linnaean Plant Names and their Types (part P), Order out of Chaos. Linnaean Plant Types and their Types, London: Linnaean Society of London in association with the Natural History Museum, pp. 718-782 : 722

Panicum polystachion Linnaeus , Systema Naturae, ed. 10, 2: 870. 1759.

["Habitat in India."] Sp. Pl., ed. 2, 1: 82 (1762). RCN: 474.

Lectotype (van der Zon in Wageningen Agric. Univ. Pap. 92-1: 335. 1992): Herb. Linn. No. 80.4 ( LINN) .

Current name: Pennisetum polystachion (L.) Schult. ( Poaceae ).

Note: There appear to be difficulties with this name. It has traditionally been applied, as Pennisetum polystachion (L.) Schult. , to a widespread weedy species of which several specimens are present in LINN. However, Merrill (Interpret. Rumph. Herb. Amb.: 91. 1917) clearly accepts the Rumphius plate as the type of this name (which he treats as a synonym of Setaria flava (Nees) Kunth , an entirely different species). A number of authors have indicated material in LINN as the type but most failed to distinguish between sheets 80.4, 80.5 and 80.6. Van der Zon (in Wageningen Agric. Univ. Pap. 92-1: 335. 1992) treated 80.4 as the type but his choice is clearly pre-dated by that of Merrill. As the Linnaean epithet is pre-occupied in Setaria by S. polystachion Schrad. ex Schult. (1824) , Merrill’s typification does not result in the displacement of any name in use in that genus. However, if the traditional usage of the Linnaean name as a species of Pennisetum is to be maintained, it appears that a conservation proposal will be necessary.