Correct name (botany)
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In botany, the correct name is the one and only botanical name that is to be used for a particular taxon, when that taxon has a particular taxonomic placement. The zoological equivalent of "correct name" is "valid name".
Basically, the correct name will be determined by the principle of priority, and will be (or be based on) the earliest name that was published for the taxon, exceptions excepted. Names other than the correct name (but applying to the same taxon) are called synonyms.
The correct name has only one correct spelling, which will be the original spelling, exceptions excepted. Other spellings are called orthographical variants.
Different taxonomic placements may well lead to different names. For example, the first validly published name for the fastest growing tree in the world was Adenanthera falcataria L. Today:
- It can be placed in the genus Albizia: its correct name there is Albizia falcataria (L.) Fosberg.
- It can also be placed in Paraserianthes sect. Falcataria: its correct name in that position will be Paraserianthes falcataria (L.) I.C.Nielsen.
- If the section is raised in rank to become a genus Falcataria, the correct name for the tree is Falcataria moluccana (Miq.) Barneby & J.W.Grimes. In this case, using Adenanthera falcataria L. as a basionym would lead to Falcataria falcataria, which would be a tautonym and thus disallowed.
These three names are each correct, but each only in its own taxonomic placement: that is, this tree species will have a different correct botanical name to different people.
