Taxonomy is that section of botany which is concerned with the valid naming of plants. Often botanists who are studying a particular group of plants will find that the relationships between individual species (or genera) are different to what has been previously published or that the previously published names are invalid for one reason or another. As a result, this research may lead to name changes resulting from:

• Old, invalid names being replaced (eg. Banksia prostrata became Banksia gardneri)
• Old, superseded names being restored (eg. Hakea pugioniformis reverted to Hakea teretifolia)
• Species being reclassified to different genera (eg. Eucalyptus maculata became Corymbia maculata - see footnote 4)
• Previous single, highly variable species being divided into two or more separate species (eg. the variable Banksia sphaerocarpa complex was divided into 8 separate species.)
• Previous similar species being combined into a single species (eg. Eucalyptus stoatei was incorporated into Eucalyptus forrestiana as Eucalyptus forrestiana subspecies stoatei)
• Previous sub-species or varieties being raised to species status (eg. Banksia integrifolia variety aquilonia became Banksia aquilonia).

Acceptance of name changes

Taxonomists are sometimes criticised by their peers and others for what is seen to be an excessive enthusiasm for revising plant names. Name changes can be frustrating, can be difficult to keep track of and, when changes involve a group of plants which is entrenched in folklore (such as the eucalypts or banksias), they can also result in some antagonism.

Botanical revision is rarely carried out without a great deal of research but it needs to be appreciated that publication of a name change in a botanical or other journal does not necessarily mean that the change will be accepted by the wider botanical (and general) community. As an example, a publication by Lyn Craven of the Australian National Herbarium (Novon 16 468-475; December 2006 "New Combinations in Melaleuca for Australian Species of Callistemon (Myrtaceae)") argues that the differences between Callistemon and Melaleuca are insufficient to warrant them being retained separately and that they should be combined. As Melaleuca has precedence, adoption of Craven's work would transfer all species of Callistemon into Melaleuca. Some state herbaria have adopted this change while others retain the two genera as separate.

A national database of plant names

The issue of some authorities accepting a re-classified plant name while others do not raises a problem for an organisation like ANPSA. What names do we accept?

Our approach is to adopt the Australian Plant Census which is accessible through the National Species List of vascular plants. The Australian Plant Census provides a nationally-accepted taxonomy which is endorsed by the Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria. The Census is a work in progress and not all plants have been reviewed.

Commonly encountered name changes

The following list is not intended to be comprehensive and it should not be regarded as definitive. It concentrates on those species of Australian plants which are more commonly encountered and where name changes are likely to cause confusion.

Advice of any significant errors or omissions in the list would be appreciated.

Table 1: Some Commonly Encountered Name Changes for Australian Plants
Currently accepted names are shown in bold. Numbers in parentheses refer to footnotes at the bottom of the tables.

Species	Common Name	Previous Name	New Name
Abelmoschus moschatus ssp tuberosus	Native rosella	Hibiscus rhodopetalus
Acacia aulacocarpa	Hickory wattle		Acacia disparrima and others (12)
Acacia armata	Kangaroo thorn		Acacia paradoxa
Acacia binervia	Coast Myall	Acacia glaucescens
Acacia disparrima (12)	Hickory wattle	Acacia aulacocarpa
Acacia glaucescens	Coast Myall		Acacia binervia
Acacia paradoxa	Kangaroo thorn	Acacia armata
Acmena smithii	Lilly-pilly		Syzygium smithii
Agapetes meiniana	Mountain Bells		Paphia meiniana
Agonis juniperina	Juniper myrtle		Taxandria juniperina
Allocasuarina littoralis	Black she-oak	Casuarina littoralis
Allocasuarina torulosa	Forest oak	Casuarina torulosa
Allocasuarina verticillata	Drooping she-oak	Casurarina stricta
Alloxylon flammeum	Tree waratah	Oreocallis "wickhamii" (1)
Alloxylon pinnatum	Dorrigo waratah	Oreocallis pinnata
Alocasia brisbanensis	Cunjevoi	Alocasia macrorrhizos
Alocasia macrorrhizos	Cunjevoi		Alocasia brisbanensis
Anetholea anisata	Aniseed myrtle	Backhousia anisata
Asteromyrtus brassii		Melaleuca brassii
Astroloma pinifolium	Pine heath		Stenanthera pinifolia (18)
Auranticarpa rhombifolia	Diamond-leaf pittosporum	Pittosporum rhombifolium
Austromyrtus inophloia	Thready-barked myrtle		Gossia inophloia
Backhousia anisata	Aniseed myrtle		Anetholea anisata
Baeckea sp. Mt Tozer			Sannantha tozerensis
Baeckea ramosissima	Rosy baeckea		Euryomyrtus ramosissima
Baeckea virgata (10)	Tall Baeckea		Various genera (10)
Banksia aemula	Wallum banksia	Banksia serratifolia
Banksia aquilonia		Banksia integrifolia var.aquilonia
Banksia asplenifolia			Banksia oblongifolia
Banksia gardneri		Banksia prostrata
Banksia integrifolia var.aquilonia			Banksia aquilonia
Banksia oblongifolia		Banksia asplenifolia
Banksia prostrata			Banksia gardneri
Banksia serratifolia	Wallum banksia		Banksia aemula
Billardiera erubescens	Red billardiera		Marianthus erubescens
Billardiera heterophylla	Bluebell climber	Sollya heterophylla
Brachyscome sp. aff. melanocarpa	"Pilliga Posy"		Brachyscome formosa
Brachyscome formosa	"Pilliga Posy"	Brachyscome sp. aff. melanocarpa
Brachysema celsianum (14)	Swan River pea		Gastrolobium celsianum
Brachysema lanceolatum (14)	Swan River pea		Gastrolobium celsianum
Bracteantha bracteata (11)	Golden everlasting		Xerochrysum bracteatum
Bracteantha subundulata (11)	Orange everlasting		Xerochrysum subundulatum
Callistemon macropunctatus	Scarlet Bottlebrush		Callistemon rugulosus
Callistemon paludosus (2)	River bottlebrush		Callistemon sieberi
Callistemon pityoides (2)	Alpine bottlebrush	Callistemon sieberi
Callistemon rugulosus	Scarlet Bottlebrush	Callistemon macropunctatus
Callistemon sieberi (2)	River Bottlebrush	Callistemon paludosus
Callistemon sieberi (2)	Alpine bottlebrush		Callistemon pityoides
Calytrix sullivanii (3)	Fringe Myrtle		Calytrix tetragona
Calytrix tetragona	Fringe Myrtle	Calytrix sullivanii (3)
Cassia artemisioides	Silver cassia		Senna artemisioides
Cassia odorata			Senna odorata
Casuarina littoralis	Black she-oak		Allocasuarina littoralis
Casuarina stricta	Drooping she-oak		Allocasuarina verticillata
Casuarina torulosa	Forest oak		Allocasuarina torulosa
Chamelaucium floriferum subsp. diffusum	Walpole wax		Chamelaucium sp. Nornalup
Chamelaucium floriferum subsp. floriferum	Walpole wax		Chamelaucium sp. Walpole
Chamelaucium sp. Nornalup	Walpole wax	Chamelaucium floriferum subsp. diffusum
Chamelaucium sp. Walpole	Walpole wax	Chamelaucium floriferum subsp. floriferum
Chionogentias spp. (9)	Mountain gentian	Gentianella diemensis
Chrysocephalum apiculatum	Common everlasting	Helichrysum apiculatum/H.ramosissimum
Citrus australasica	Finger lime	Microcitrus australasica
Citrus glauca	Wild lime	Eremocitrus glauca
Clianthus formosus	Sturt's desert pea		Swainsona formosa
Commersonia hermanniifolia		Rulingia hermanniifolia
Coronidium elatum		Helichrysum elatum
Coronidium scorpioides	Button Everlasting	Helichrysum scorpioides
Corymbia calophylla (4)	Marri	Eucalyptus calophylla
Corymbia citriodora (4)	Lemon-scented gum	Eucalyptus citriodora
Corymbia ficifolia (4)	Red flowering gum	Eucalyptus ficifolia
Corymbia maculata (4)	Spotted gum	Eucalyptus maculata
Cryptandra scortechinii	Cotton bush		Spyridium scortechinii
Dendrobium bigibbum f. phalaenopsis (17)	Cooktown orchid		Vappodes phalaenopsis
Dendrobium cucumerinum	Cucumber orchid		Dockrillia cucumerina
Dendrobium linguiforme	Tongue orchid		Dockrillia linguiformis
Dendrobium pugioniforme	Dagger orchid		Dockrillia pugioniformis
Derwentia perfoliata		Parahebe perfoliata
Dianella laevis (15)	Smooth flax lily		Dianella longifolia
Dianella longifolia (15)	Smooth flax lily	Dianella laevis
Dockrillia cucumerina	Cucumber orchid	Dendrobium cucumerinum
Dockrillia linguiformis	Tongue orchid	Dendrobium linguiforme
Dockrillia pugioniformis	Dagger orchid	Dendrobium pugioniforme
Dryandra sp. (16)		Dryandra sp.	Banksia sp.
Eremocitrus glauca	Wild lime		Citrus glauca
Eremophila debilis	Winter apple	Myoporum debile
Eriostemon myoporoides	Long-leaf wax flower		Philotheca myoporoides
Eucalyptus calophylla (4)	Marri		Corymbia calophylla
Eucalyptus citriodora (4)	Lemon-scented gum		Corymbia citriodora
Eucalyptus ficifolia (4)	Red flowering gum		Corymbia ficifolia
Eucalyptus maculata (4)	Spotted gum		Corymbia maculata
Eugenia australis	Scrub or magenta cherry		Syzygium australe/ Syzygium paniculatum (5)
Eugenia cyanocarpa	Blue lilly-pilly		Syzygium oleosum
Eugenia floribunda	Weeping lilly-pilly		Waterhousea floribunda
Eugenia luehmannii	Small leaved lilly-pilly		Syzygium luehmannii
Euodia elleryana	Corkwood		Melicope elleryana
Euryomyrtus ramosissima	Rosy baeckea	Baeckea ramosissima
Evodiella muelleri	Little Evodia		Melicope rubra
Gastrolobium celsianum (14)	Swan River pea	Brachysema celsianum
Gentianella diemensis (9)	Mountain gentian		Chionogentias spp.
Gossia inophloia	Thready-barked myrtle	Austromyrtus inophloia
Grevillea biternata (6)			Grevillea curviloba subsp. incurva
Grevillea curviloba subsp incurva		Grevillea biternata (6)
Hakea archaeoides	Hakea	Hakea trineura (southern form)
Hakea coriacea	Hakea		Now included in Hakea francisiana
Hakea drupacea	Sweet hakea	Hakea suaveolens
Hakea salicifolia	Willow-leaved hakea	Hakea saligna
Hakea saligna	Willow-leaved hakea		Hakea salicifolia
Hakea suaveolens	Sweet hakea		Hakea drupacea
Hakea trineura (southern form)	Hakea		Hakea archaeoides
Helichrysum acuminatum (11)	Orange everlasting		Xerochrysum subundulatum
Helichrysum apiculatum	Common everlasting		Chrysocephalum apiculatum
Helichrysum bracteatum (11)	Golden everlasting		Xerochrysum bracteatum
Helichrysum diosmifolium	Riceflower		Ozothamnus diosmifolius
Helichrysum elatum			Coronidium elatum
Helichrysum ramosissimum	Yellow buttons		Chrysocephalum apiculatum
Helichrysum scorpioides	Button Everlasting		Coronidium scorpioides
Helichrysum subulifolium	Showy everlasting		Schoenia filifolia ssp.subulifera
Helipterum anthemoides			Rhodanthe anthemoides
Helipterum manglesii	Pink everlasting		Rhodanthe manglesii
Helipterum roseum	Pink paper daisy		Rhodanthe chlorocephala ssp.rosea
Hibiscus rhodopetalus	Native rosella		Abelmoschus moschatus ssp.tuberosus
Kreysigia multiflora	Bush lily		Tripladenia cunninghamii
Kunzea ericoides	Burgan	Leptospermum ericoides
Leionema ambiens (7)		Phebalium ambiens
Leionema dentatum (7)		Phebalium dentatum
Leionema phylicifolium (7)		Phebalium phylicifolium
Leptospermum ericoides	Burgan		Kunzea ericoides
Leptospermum flavescens	Yellow tea tree		Leptospermum polygalifolium
Leptospermum lanigerum var.macrocarpum			Leptospermum macrocarpum
Leptospermum macrocarpum		Leptospermum lanigerum var.macrocarpum
Leptospermum polygalifolium	Yellow tea tree	Leptospermum flavescens
Leptospermum rotundifolium		Leptospermum scoparium var.rotundifolium
Leptospermum scoparium var.rotundifolium			Leptospermum rotundifolium
Lophostemon confertus	Brush box	Tristania conferta
Marianthus erubescens	Red billardiera	Billardiera erubescens
Melaleuca brassii			Asteromyrtus brassii
Melaleuca diosmatifolia		Melaleuca erubescens
Melaleuca erubescens			Melaleuca diosmatifolia
Melicope elleryana	Corkwood	Euodia elleryana
Melicope rubra	Little Evodia	Evodiella muelleri
Microcitrus australasica	Finger lime		Citrus australasica
Microstrobos fitzgeraldii	Dwarf mountain pine		Pherosphaera fitzgeraldii
Myoporum debile	Winter apple		Eremophila debilis
Nematolepis squamea (7)		Phebalium squameum
Omalanthus nutans	Bleeding heart	Omalanthus populifolius
Omalanthus populifolius	Bleeding heart		Omalanthus nutans
Oreocallis pinnata	Dorrigo waratah		Alloxylon pinnatum
Oreocallis "wickhamii" (1)	Tree waratah		Alloxylon flammeum
Oxylobium scandens			Podolobium scandens
Ozothamnus diosmifolius	Riceflower	Helichrysum diosmifolium
Paphia meiniana	Mountain Bells	Agapetes meiniana
Parahebe perfoliata			Derwentia perfoliata
Phaius australis	Swamp Lily	Phaius tancarvilleae
Phaius tancarvilleae	Swamp Lily		Phaius australis
Pherosphaera fitzgeraldii	Dwarf mountain pine	Microstrobos fitzgeraldii
Phebalium ambiens (7)			Leionema ambiens
Phebalium dentatum (7)			Leionema dentatum
Phebalium phylicifolium (7)			Leionema phylicifolium
Phebalium squameum (7)			Nematolepis squamea
Philotheca myoporoides	Long-leaf wax flower	Eriostemon myoporoides
Pittosporum rhombifolium	Diamond-leaf pittosporum		Auranticarpa rhombifolia
Podolobium scandens		Oxylobium scandens
Ptilotus exaltatus	Pink mulla mulla		Ptilotus nobilis
Rhodanthe anthemoides		Helipterum anthemoides
Rhodanthe chlorocephala ssp.rosea	Pink paper daisy	Helipterum roseum
Rhodanthe manglesii	Pink everlasting	Helipterum manglesii
Rulingia hermanniifolia			Commersonia hermanniifolia
Sannantha tozerensis		Baeckea sp. Mt Tozer
Senna artemisioides	Silver cassia	Cassia artemisioides
Senna odorata		Cassia odorata
Schoenia filifolia ssp.subulifera	Showy everlasting	Helichrysum subulifolium
Sollya heterophylla	Bluebell climber		Billardiera heterophylla
Spyridium scortechinii	Cotton bush	Cryptandra scortechinii
Stenanthera pinifolia (18)	Pine heath	Astroloma pinifolium
Stypandra caespitosum	Tufted blue-lily		Thelionema caespitosum
Swainsona formosa (8)	Sturt's desert pea	Clianthus formosus
Syncarpia glomulifera	Turpentine	Syncarpia laurifolia
Syncarpia laurifolia	Turpentine		Syncarpia glomulifera
Syzygium australe (5)	Scrub or magenta cherry	Eugenia australis
Syzygium coolminianum	Blue lilly-pilly		Syzygium oleosum
Syzygium floribundum	Weeping lilly-pilly	Waterhousea floribunda Eugenia floribunda
Syzygium luehmannii	Small leaved lilly-pilly	Eugenia luehmannii
Syzygium oleosum	Blue lilly-pilly	Eugenia cyanocarpa/ Syzygium coolminianum
Syzygium paniculatum (5)	Scrub or magenta cherry	Eugenia australis
Syzygium smithii	Lilly-pilly	Acmena smithii
Syzygium unipunctatum	Roly poly satinash	Waterhousea unipunctata
Taxandria juniperina	Juniper myrtle	Agonis juniperina
Thelionema caespitosum	Tufted blue-lily	Stypandra caespitosum
Toona australis	Red cedar		Toona ciliata
Toona ciliata	Red cedar	Toona australis
Tripladenia cunninghamii	Bush lily	Kreysigia multiflora
Tristania conferta	Brush box		Lophostemon confertus
Tristania laurina	Water gum		Tristaniopsis laurina
Tristaniopsis laurina	Water gum	Tristania laurina
Vappodes phalaenopsis (17)	Cooktown Orchid	Dendrobium bigibbum f. phalaenopsis
Viola banksii (13)	Native violet	Viola hederacea
Viola hederacea (13)	Native violet		Viola banksii
Xerochrysum bracteatum (11)	Golden everlasting	Bracteantha bracteata/Helichrysum bracteatum
Xerochrysum subundulatum (11)	Orange everlasting	Bracteantha subundulata/Helichrysum acuminatum

Table 2: Some Re-classified Plant Families.
Currently accepted names are shown in bold

Superseded Family Name	Common Genera	New Family Name
Caesalpiniaceae	Cassia, Senna	Now included in Fabaceae as sub-family Caesalpinioideae
Epracidaceae	Epacris, Leucopogon, Styphelia	Now included in Ericaceae as sub-family Epacridoideae
Mimosaceae	Acacia, Parachidendron	Now included in Fabaceae as sub-family Mimosoideae
Myoporaceae	Eremophila, Myoporum	Now included in Scrophulariaceae
Sterculeaceae	Brachychiton, Guichenotia, Thomasia	Now included in Malvaceae as sub-family Sterculioideae

1. The plant commonly cultivated as Oreocallis wickhamii was not, in fact, the true O.wickhamii (now known as Alloxylon wickhamii)
   
   
2. The Callistemon paludosus/pityoides/sieberi changes are confusing. Apparently research has shown that the plant previously referred to as C.paludosus was attributable to the original description of C.sieberi, thus requiring the reinstatement of the original name. As a result a new name (C.pityoides) has been applied to the plant previously known as C.sieberi.
   
   
3. Calytrix sullivanii has been incorporated into the existing species, C.tetragona.
   
   
4. In 1995 the genus Corymbia, of 113 species, was created by K.Hill and L.Johnson (Telopea, Volume 6(2-3)). In addition to 33 new species, Hill and Johnson transferred the four Eucalyptus species listed here, plus another 76, to the new genus. More recently, Ian Brooker absorbed both Corymbia and Angophora into Eucalyptus (Australian Systematic Botany 13, 79-148.) but this work does not appear to have gained wide acceptance and most authorities retain Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora as separate genera.
   
   
5. Eugenia australis is now regarded as two separate species, Syzygium australe and S.paniculatum.
   
   
6. The popular garden plant commonly known as Grevillea biternata is incorrectly named. The correct name is G.curviloba subsp incurva. The true G.biternata is not widely cultivated.
   
   
7. Extensive revision of the genus Phebalium by Paul Wilson has seen 21 species transferred to the genus Leionema, 6 species transferred to Nematolepis and 3 species transferred to Rhadinothamnus. 25 species remain in Phebalium.
   
   
8. Alex George (well known to many for his work in the revision of Banksia and Dryandra and for his work on the Flora Of Australia project) published a name change for Sturt's desert pea in the 'Western Australian Naturalist' in 1999. He has called the plant Willdampia formosa in honour of the explorer William Dampier. This proposal, however, does not seem to have received general acceptance.
   
   
9. Until 1995, all Australian gentians were considered to be included under Gentianella diemensis. They have now been transferred to the genus Chionogentias and split into 14 separate species. The genus Chionogentias also occurs outside of Australia.
   
   
10. The species formerly known as Baeckea virgata (now Sannantha virgata) is considered to be restricted to New Caledonia and does not occur in Australia. Australian plants formerly referred to Baeckea virgata have been re-classified to a number of different genera including Sannantha, Kardomia and Harmogia.
    
    
11. Several species formerly included in the genus Helichrysum were transferred to the new genus Bracteantha in 1991. However, it has recently (2001) been discovered that the name Xerochrysum, published by a Russian botanist in 1990, must take precedence under the rules of botanical nomenclature. This means that Bracteantha bracteatum and B.subundulata (and several other species) are now reclassified under the genus Xerochrysum.
    
    
12. The name Acacia aulacocarpa is still current but has been widely misapplied and a number of forms previously referred to as A.aulacocarpa have now been transferred to other species. The form from coastal and near coastal areas of south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales (and the one most commonly referred to as A.aulacocarpa in the past) is now A.disparrima.
    
    
13. The name Viola hederacea is still current but research has indicated that the form commonly cultivated is sufficiently distinct from the type form of that species to warrant re-classification.
    
    
14. All species in the genus Brachysema have been transferred to the genus Gastrolobium.
    
    
15. Dianella laevis is now recognised as D.longifolia in WA, NT, Qld, NSW and the ACT. Victorian populations are regarded as distinct and the name D.laevis is still current in that State.
    
    
16. A paper published by A R Mast and K Thiele (The transfer of Dryandra R.Br. to Banksia L.f. (Proteaceae); Australian Systematic Botany, 26 February 2007), proposed that the genus Dryandra be subsumed into Banksia. This revised classification has been accepted by the Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria and the new Banksia names now appear on Florabase (the website for the Western Australian Herbarium) and in the Australian Plant Census. The new classification has come in for some criticism but, as the Australian Plant Census has been adopted as the authority on plant names by ANPSA, the revised classifiation has been accepted on the ANPSA website.
    
    
17. Dendrobium bigibbum has been re-classified as Vappodes bigibba. However, the well known Cooktown Orchid, formerly classified as a form of D. bigibbum has been placed in Vappodes phalaenopsis.
    
    
18. The reclassification of two species of Astroloma to Stenanthera is accepted in the Australian Plant Census but is not accepted by some other authorities (it is possible that both Stenanthera and Astroloma, together with several other related genera, will be transferred to an expanded Styphelia genus in the future).

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Thanks to John Wrigley, Cas Liber, John Atkinson and Angus McLeod for providing comments and suggestions.