I. International rules of Botanical Nomenclature. 



Chapter I. General considerations and leading principles. 



Art. 1. Natural history can make no progress without a regular system of 

 nomenclature, which is recognized and used by the great majority of naturalists in 

 all countries. 



Art. 2. The prescriptions which govern the exact system of botanical nomen- 

 clature are divided into principles^ rules and recommendations. The principles (art. 

 1 — 9, 10 — 14 and 15 — 18) are the foundation of the rules and recommendations. 

 The rules (art. 10 — 58), destined to put in order the nomenclature which the past has 

 bequeathed to us, and to form the basis for the future, are always retroactive: names 

 or forms of nomenclature which are contrary to a rule cannot be maintained. Recom- 

 mendations bear on secondary points, their object being to ensure for the future a 

 greater uniformity and clearness in nomenclature: names or forms of nomenclature 

 contrary to a recommendation are not a model to copy, but cannot be rejected. 



Art. 3. The rules of nomenclature should neither be arbitrary nor imposed 

 by authority. They must be simple and founded on considerations clear and forcible 

 enough for everyone to comprehend and be disposed to accept. 



Art. 4. The essential points in nomenclature are: 1. to aim at fixity of 

 names; 2. to avoid or to reject the use of forms and names which may cause error 

 or ambiguity or throw science into confusion. 



Next in importance is the avoidance of all useless creation of names. 



Other considerations, such as absolute grammatical correctness, regularity or 

 euphony of names, more or less prevailing custom, respect for persons, etc., notwith- 

 standing their undeniable importance are relatively accessory. 



Art. 5. No custom contrary to rule can be upheld if it leads to confusion 

 or error. When a custom offers no serious inconvenience of this kind, it may be a 

 ground for exceptions which we must however abstain from extending or copying. 

 Finally in the absence of rule, or where the consequences of rules are doubtful, 

 established custom becomes law. 



Art. 6. The principles and forms of nomenclature should be as similar as 

 possible in botany and in zoology; but botanical nomenclature is entirely independent 

 of zoological nomenclature. 



Art. 7. Scientific names are in latin for all groups. When taken from 

 another language, a latin termination is given them, except in cases sanctioned by 



