Phlox ovata L., 1753

Jarvis, Charlie, 2007, Chapter 7: Linnaean Plant Names and their Types (part P), Order out of Chaos. Linnaean Plant Types and their Types, London: Linnaean Society of London in association with the Natural History Museum, pp. 718-782 : 739

Phlox ovata Linnaeus , Species Plantarum 1: 152. 1753 .

"Habitat in Virginia." RCN: 1211.

Lectotype (Wilbur in Taxon 36: 131. 1987): Herb. Linn. No. 217.10 ( LINN) , see p. 200.

Current name: Phlox ovata L. ( Polemoniaceae ).

Note: Wherry (Genus Phlox : 100. 1955) treated the Plukenet element as the type, but the voucher collection was subsequently shown to belong to Ruellia caroliniensis (Walt.) Steud. ( Acanthaceae ). Wilbur (in Taxon 36: 131. 1987) rejected this choice on the grounds that the plate conflicted with the generic description, and chose 217.10 (LINN) as lectotype in its place. Reveal, however, believed Wherry’s choice to be valid and proposed (in Taxon 38: 515. 1989) P. ovata for conservation with a conserved type. After a further response from Wilbur (l.c. 39: 297-298. 1990), the Committee for Spermatophyta ruled (l.c. 42: 694. 1993) that Wherry’s choice should be superseded, that Wilbur’s choice was valid, and that the proposal was therefore unnecessary, and not recommended.