Agrimonia eupatoria var. grandis (Andrzejowski ex Ascherson & Graebner, 1902) Gams, and Bornmuller, 1940

Iamonico, Duilio, 2017, Agrimonia eupatoria subsp. major stat. nov. (Rosaceae) and notes on the Agrimonia eupatoria aggregate, Phytotaxa 298 (2), pp. 165-172 : 166-167

Agrimonia eupatoria var. grandis

Meyer (1842: 343) first published Agrimonia grandis Andrzejowski as a synonym of A. eupatoria . As a conseguence, the Meyer’s name is invalid (Art. 36.1c of the ICN, “A name... is merely cited as a synonym”). Subsequently Ascherson & Graebner (1902: 420) described the new variety A. eupatoria B- grandis providing a short diagnosis in german (“ Pflanze grösser. Blatter grösser, stärker behaart. Blütentrauben dichter. Früchte grösser und breiter ” =“ Plants large, more pubescent. Inflorescence more dense. Fruit longer and wider ”). The var. grandis by Ascherson & Graebner (l.c.) was accepted by Gams (in Hegi 1923: 933) who proposed the new combination A. eupatoria var. sepium subvar. grandis (Andrz. ex Asch. & Graebn) Gams, and Bornmüller (1940: 244) who recognized this taxon at subspecies level [ A. eupatoria subsp. grandis (Andrz. ex Asch. & Graebn) Bornm. ]. The combination A. eupatoria var. grandis (Andrz. ex Asch. & Graebn.) Vollmann (1914: 356) , and A. grandis Andrz. ex Dobroczajeva (1954: 166−169) , based on the same name, are isonyms, so they have not taxonomic status (Art. 6.3 Note 2 of the ICN). Currently, the combination A. eupatoria subsp. grandis (Andrz. ex Asch. & Graebn.) Bornm. is accepted and recognized ( Skalický 1968a, Martín 1998, Conti et al. 2005, IPNI 2012 +).

Ascherson & Graebner (1902: 420) consider Agrimonia grandis Andrz. ex C.A.Mey as a synonym of their var. grandis . Since Agrimonia grandis Andrz. ex C.A.Mey is invalid (see discussion above), the var. grandis can be interpreted as a replaced name (at different rank) and the original material for the name A. eupatoria var. grandis should be included in the Andrzejowski’s or Meyer’s collections that are currently preserved at LE. No exsiccata of A. grandis were found in LE (P. Efimov pers. comm.). Lacking original material I have decided to designate a neotype (Art. 9.7 of the ICN). On the basis of the diagnosis of the var. grandis by Ascherson & Graebner (l.c.) and the specimens examined, I select an exsiccatum preserved at FI collected by J. R. Akeroyd et al. in Calabria region (see “Taxonomic treatment”).