Amaranthus tristis var. flexuosus Moquin-Tandon (1849: 260)

Iamonico, Duilio, 2016, Nomenclature survey of the genus Amaranthus (Amaranthaceae). 5. Moquin-Tandon’s names, Phytotaxa 273 (2), pp. 81-114 : 103-104

32. Amaranthus tristis var. flexuosus Moquin-Tandon (1849: 260)

Type: not designated.

Nomenclatural notes and taxonomic remarks:—The var. flexuosus was proposed to describe forms of Am. tristis with willowy synflorescences; according to the protologue another important characters are: leaves size (“foliis conformibus”), and colour of flower (“viridescentibus qut flavescentibus”). Specimens that can be considered as part of the original material were not found, so a neotypification is required according to the art. 9.7 of the ICN. Unfortunately specimens, which can be referred to Am. tristis var. flexuosus and that were observed by Moquin-Tandon, were not found. In addition, as widely discussed under the name Am. tristis var. xanthostachys (see below, species no. 32 of the present paper), the Moquin-Tandon’s concept of Am. tristis is broad that includes both species Am. tricolor (as Am. tristis var. leptostachys , see discussion under this name) or Am. dubius (as e.g., Am. tristis var. xanthostachys ). Some authors synonymized the var. flexuosus with Am. dubius , but typifications were never proposed up to now (see e.g., D’Arcy 1987, Pinto and Velásques 2010).

All things stated, I would avoid a proposal of a neotype of the name Am. tristis var. flexuosus , hoping for a future the rejection of this name, which, if used, it would cause a disadvantageous nomenclatural change (Art. 56 of the ICN).