Some Interesting Changes in Stace 3

There are several reasons for changes and some are more important taxonomically than others

Spelling corrections

Triglochin palustre has become Triglochin palustris

Names changed back

Peucedanum ostruthium (L.) W.D. Koch has changed back to Imperatoria ostruthium L. In other words the name for this plant, coined by the original author (Linnaeus), is now used again.

Many Orchid name changes

Aceras anthropophora has become Orchis anthropophorum. (Man Orchid)

Orchis laxiflora has become Anacamptis laxiflora (Lax-flowered Orchid)

Orchis morio has become Anacamptis morio (Green-winged Orchid)

Listera cordata has become Neottia cordata (Lesser Twayblade)

Listera ovata has become Neottia ovata (Common Twayblade)

Orchis ustulata has become Neotinea ustulata (Burnt Orchid)

These changes have happened as a result of work done with DNA of these plants. This has not always led to consistent publications so the proposed change of:

Coeloglossum viride to Dactylorhiza viridis published in some recent Orchid books is not accepted.

Dactylorhiza majalis has disappeared from our lists and the various Dactylorhiza species have been renamed.

Complications in changes to sub species

Ranunculus ficaria (Lesser Celandine) has become Ficaria verna.

However there were several sub species of Ranunculus ficaria and the most familiar of these were Ranunculus ficaria ssp ficaria and Ranunculus ficaria ssp bulbilifer. The type sub species has changed in Ficaria so that

Ranunculus ficaria ssp ficaria has become Ficaria verna ssp fertilis (This is the commonest Lesser Celandine sub species)

and perhaps counter intuitively:

Ranunculus ficaria ssp bulbilifer has become Ficaria verna ssp verna (Quite common and probably under recorded).

In other changes, when a new sub species has been recognised then if it doesn't exist, the type sub species is also described.

For example Groundsel was simply Senecio vulgaris.

Now two sub species are recognised in Stace 3:

Senecio vulgaris ssp vulgaris (The commonest one and type sub species)


Senecio vulgaris ssp denticulatus

which was previously Senecio vulgaris var denticulatus.

Odd name changes

Monotropa hypopitys has become Hypopitys monotropa (Yellow Bird's Nest)

Picris echioides has become Helminthotheca echioides (Bristly Ox-tongue)

but Picris hieracioides remains and

Orobanche artemisiae-campestris (Ox-tongue Broomrape)

has become Orobanche picridis.

Name changes requiring deep concentration

The changes to some Cotoneaster names have been made difficult to follow because the old name for one plant has been resurrected as a new name for a different plant. Look up Cotoneaster rotundifolius (Distichous Cotoneaster) as an example.

Some changes are complicated because they appear differently every time in different lists or books. Look up Malva x clementii (Garden Tree-mallow)to see how rapidly the name changed with time.

Euphrasia (Eyebrights) very complicated - please do not seek clarification.

Necessary inconsistencies

In Stace 3 all of Lychnis has disappeared into Silene, all Hebe has become Veronica and all Lavatera has become Malva.

This rather suggests that the remaining Lavatera species on our list such as Lavatera maritima recognised by Clement but not Stace or Kent should also be renamed. However the alterations here are only concerned with actual published changes not logical ones so Lavatera species remain on the list albeit ones which are casuals and therefore not on our WFS reference list.


There are bound to be errors. Let me know if you find one or have a query of any kind. Just don't ask why a name has changed. I didn't do it.

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Peter Llewellyn 1st November 2010, 11th Nov 10 9th November 2010

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