On the priority of Orthotrichum cylindrocarpum Lesq. over O. coulteri Mitt. and Lesquereux’s early v

by Rafael Medina, Francisco Lara, Bernard Goffinet, Ricardo Garilleti, Vicente Mazimpaka

In a recent revision of the Orthotrichum tenellum Bruch ex Brid. complex, the authors erroneously concluded that the name O. coulteri Mitt. predated the supposed synonym O. cylindrocarpum Lesq. This confusion was due to incongruent publication dates reported in the literature and lack of evidence of effective publication of the latter. Here, we demonstrate that the name O. cylindrocarpum was indeed published a few months before O. coulteri based on correspondence by the authorities and dated reprints. The almost simultaneous publication of both names occurred during a period in which some early American bryologists advocated that the discovery of new species from North America should be reported by them and not by their European colleagues.

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O. cylindrocarpum @bryomedina

Leo Lesquereux (wikimedia)