Form (botany) - Citizendia

In botanical nomenclature, a form (forma) is a low-level taxonomic rank below that of variety; it is an infraspecific taxon. Botanical nomenclature is the formal naming of plants from a scientific point of view Taxonomic rank ( rank, category, taxonomic category is an abstract term used in the Scientific classification, or Taxonomy, of organisms In Botanical nomenclature or biological nomenclature variety is a low-level Taxonomic rank below that of species and signifies members of different populations can Its name consists of three parts: a genus name, a specific epithet, and an infraspecific epithet. A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic In zoological nomenclature a specific name or specific epithet is the second part (second name in the name of a Species (a Binomen) An epithet (from Greek ἐπίθετον - epitheton, neut of ἐπίθετος - epithetos, "attributed added" is a The abbreviation "f. " or the full "forma" should be put before the infraspecific epithet to indicate the rank.

For example, a cactus:

Acanthocalycium spiniflorum f. klimpelianum or
Acanthocalycium spiniflorum forma klimpelianum (Weidlich & Werderm. ) Donald

A form usually designates a group with a noticeable but minor deviation. For instance, white-flowered forms of species that usually have coloured flowers can be named a "f. alba". Some botanists believe that there is no need to name forms, since there are theoretically countless numbers of forms based on a single-gene difference.

Note:

In zoological nomenclature, the only officially-regulated rank below that of species is that of subspecies. The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature is a set of rules in Zoology that have one fundamental aim to provide the maximum universality and continuity in the naming In Zoology, as in other branches of Biology, subspecies is the Taxonomic rank immediately subordinate to a Species. Forms and morphs are used instead of varieties if needed, but are unregulated by the ICZN. This article is not about formal Zoological nomenclature; it describes terms that are sometimes used but have no standing under the ICZN. Polymorphism in biology occurs when two or more clearly different Phenotypes exist in the same population of a species — in other words the occurrence of more than one "ICZN" redirects here It is also sometimes used for the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature in error

This article is not about formal Zoological nomenclature; it describes terms that are sometimes used but have no standing under the ICZN. In biology trinomial nomenclature refers to names for taxa below the rank of species In Botanical nomenclature or biological nomenclature variety is a low-level Taxonomic rank below that of species and signifies members of different populations can In botanical nomenclature a subvariety ( subvarietas) is a Taxonomic rank below that of variety ( varietas) but above that of form See also Variety (botany A "plant variety " is a Legal term, following the UPOV Convention A cultivar is a cultivated Plant that has been selected and given a unique name because of its decorative or useful characteristics it is usually distinct from similar In Biology, hybrid has two meanings The first meaning is the result of interbreeding between two animals or plants of different taxa. In biology a race is any inbreeding group including taxonomic subgroups such as Subspecies, taxonomically subordinate to a Species and superordinate to a subrace

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