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Service Notice

The Western Australian Herbarium’s collections management system, WAHerb, and DBCA’s taxonomic names application, WACensus, have been set to read-only mode since 1 October 2025. Recent taxonomic changes are not reflected in Florabase, herbarium collections, or in the census. We are hoping to be able to reinstate services around December 15; we will provide an update at that time.

The notice period started at 9:00 am on Wednesday, 1 October 2025 +08:00 and will end at 12:00 pm on Monday, 15 December 2025 +08:00.

Nuytsia
The journal of the Western Australian Herbarium

Update on generic and specific nomenclature in Paracaleana (Drakaeinae), Caladeniinae and a new name in Caladenia (Orchidaceae)
HOPPER, STEPHEN D. AND BROWN, A.P.

Accepting guidance on stability of names from the Preamble to successive International Codes of Botanical Nomenclature, and in the interests of minimizing name changes consistent with present scientific evidence, we propose that the Australian orchid genus Paracaleana should be maintained as a distinct genus from Caleana, and that Caladenia remains best recognised as distinct from Cyanicula, Ericksonella, Pheladenia, Glossodia and Elythranthera. Recent proposals to lump these genera unnecessarily creates new names in the absence of compelling new scientific evidence to do so. A new name, Caladenia varians Hopper & A.P.Br., is erected to replace C. vulgata Hopper & A.P.Br. The type of C. vulgata matches Caladenia incensum Hopper & A.P.Br., and the former species is therefore rendered synonymous with the latter.