A Guide to

Handbook 5.5.2.2 Taxonomic Verification

Taxonomic verification of all previously unawarded species is required, no matter what award is granted. Although taxonomic verification need not be presented prior to an award's being granted, if it was previously obtained, it should be accepted when the plant is judged. Awards will be held in a provisional status until identification is complete. If any certified judge on the judging floor questions the identity of a species being considered for any award, then the award will be held in a provisional status until identification is complete. Taxonomic Verification Options

Taxonomic verification which had been previously obtained as noted above.

Referring the necessary plant measurements and images to the Species IdentificationTask Force (SITF), as obtained by the judges and photographer at the judging session.

5.5.2.3 Species Identification Task Force

The SITF, under the responsibility of the JC, is a team of volunteers with an interest in species and taxonomy committed to getting the correct names on species awarded by the AOS judging system in a timely manner. The SITF is on the list of AOS taxonomic authorities. The team consists of a chair and selected members who as a group research and reach a consensus on the correct names of specimens submitted. They will use their own resources but if necessary will contact others in the orchid community who can assist with correct identification. The hope of the SITF is to do the identifications based on photographs and information obtained from the specimen, eliminating the need to ship plant material. Doing identifications this way requires more information than provided by one award slide and one short description. The SITF asks that whoever submits a specimen to the SITF for identification provide extra photographs and measurements, using the forms and guidelines the SITF provides, and using the Descriptive Terminology in the upper toolbar of AQ Plus if the terms are unfamiliar.

GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT UNDER IT WAS AWARDED

The fact that the award is pending taxonomic verification and if not one of the two obvious reason why? If a taxonomist not SITF , offered an id, the comment must be made and taxonomist sign.The award that was granted . Again note if not the two botanicals… comment section why tax verification is required.

Name of plant as required/regulated by Handbook

In the case of botanical nomenclature , the names as listed in the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families.

http://http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/

www.ipni.org

www.tropicos.org

www.epidendra.org

http://orchid.unibas.ch/site.home.php

These three elements are going to be needed in the description and or the submission:

The Accepted Name

Synonyms (if any)

Natural Distribution

Enter the genus as explained in the instructions and click Find name.

( You can also enter the whole binomial)

The Accepted Name : Camaridium anceps (Rchb.f.) M.A.Blanco, Lankesteriana 7: 519 (2007).

Synonyms (if any)

Ornithidium anceps Rchb.f., Beitr. Orchid.-K. C. Amer.: 75 (1866).

Maxillaria pseudoneglecta J.T.Atwood, Lindleyana 8: 30 (1993).

Natural Distribution: Costa Rica to W. Panama

Is that the accepted name?

What is the accepted name?

What is the distribition?

Are there other synonyms for the accepted name? Provide them if there are/

Check for previous awards

Under the accepted name Under any of the synonyms.

Why ?

If the confirmed species has a previous award and it was granted a previous award , the final disposition may require nullification of the CBR by the Chair.

If the confirmed species was granted a CHM and there is another CHM granted to the species , then the second CHM is contingent on being granted because there were SIGNIFICANT differences with the first. Re-visitation of the award by the judging team may be required; high possibility of nullification.

This is a medullar issue. Photos taken sometimes lack the details needed.

Be proactive and try to get the Chair to spread the news and get the photographers to provide you with good quality and adequately detailed photos of flowers and plant.

For guidelines of what is optimum read: http://www.aosforum.org/sitf/?

page_id=11

This allows you to have a legible copy of measurements and descriptions to submit ( Let’s be honest some of our judges handling of the awards forms leave a lot to be desired).

TRY to enter as much data as possible , including the images : that way once the award is verified you don’t have to be hunting for the images.

Also: Google Scholar , Google, specialized web pages like Stanhopea Pages, etc and www.epidedra.org

Basic framework of communication I am submitting for taxonomic verification the following species :

Show and Award History ( date , place , the award given, the award number and the name under which was warded)

Submitted with this this email are the following: List all the atatchments

Nomenclature Record per WCSPF (Include synonyms)Distribution:

Describe any issue that have arisen and provide additional data if needed

Please review them and ask any questions.

THEN please do one submission from the ones you have pending and send it to me so I can review it .

I am more than willing to help you through the first ones.