Validly published but illegitimate. Correction to and comments on Phytotaxa 373: On Hemionitis atreyu, an invalid and unnecessary name, and on the correct name for that species if placed in Hemionitis (Pteridaceae subfam. Cheilanthoideae)

Abstract

An interesting nomenclatural case of Hemionitis atreyu Christenhusz (in Christenhusz et al. 2018: 10) was recently considered and discussed in an earlier issue of Phytotaxa (Mosyakin 2018). That species-rank name was originally proposed as a replacement name (not as a new combination with the earliest available species epithet “acrostica”) because of the existence of a supposedly earlier name, “Hemionitis acrosticha” Noronha (1790: 18; 1827: 78). However, the latter name has never been validly published (see Mosyakin 2018), and thus, if the species earlier known mainly as Cheilanthes acrostica (Balbis 1801: 98) Todaro (1866: 215) or Pteris acrostica Balbis (1801: 98) is placed in Hemionitis Linnaeus (1753: 1077), not a replacement name but a new combination was required. That combination has been validated as Hemionitis acrostica (Balb.) Mosyakin (2018: 165).