Momordica balsamina L., 1753

Jarvis, Charlie, 2007, Chapter 7: Linnaean Plant Names and their Types (part M), Order out of Chaos. Linnaean Plant Types and their Types, London: Linnaean Society of London in association with the Natural History Museum, pp. 651-689 : 680

Momordica balsamina Linnaeus , Species Plantarum 2: 1009. 1753.

"Habitat in India." RCN: 7314.

Lectotype (Meeuse in Bothalia 8: 49. 1962): Herb. Linn. No. 1150.1 ( LINN) , see frontispiece.

Current name: Momordica balsamina L. ( Cucurbitaceae ).

Note: Momordica balsamina was treated as the generitype by Britton & Millspaugh (Bahama Fl.: 425. 1920; see McNeill & al. in Taxon 36: 378. 1987). However, under Art. 10.5, Ex. 7 (a voted example) of the Vienna Code, this is a type choice made under the American Code and is to be replaced under Art. 10.5b by Green’s choice (Prop. Brit. Bot.: 190. 1929) of M. charantia L.

Jeffrey (in Kew Bull. 34: 790. 1980) rejected Meeuse’s typification, arguing that Linnaeus’ diagnosis came from the Hortus Cliffortianus account and that there was no evidence that 1150.1 (LINN) was in Linnaeus’ possession in 1753. The first point does not provide grounds for rejection, and what evidence there is suggests that the LINN sheet was within the herbarium in 1753. Meeuse’s choice is therefore accepted here, rather than Jeffrey’s later choice of a Clifford sheet.