How are binomials and autonyms listed in synonymy?
A. Autonyms (“self names”) are names such as Swertia albicaulis var. albicaulis which are automatically established from the binomial when a new taxon (e.g., Swertia albicaulis var. columbiana) is described at a rank below species. Autonyms represent the remaining conceptual portion of the binomial when all the other infraspecific taxa at that rank (e.g., Swertia albicaulis var. columbiana) are excluded. When a binomial with all its infraspecific taxa is placed in synonymy, however, some taxonomists assert that the autonym is no longer extant, and the binomial synonym should be used to represent that portion of the species not contained in other infra taxa. Thus, if Swertia albicaulis is transferred to Frasera, Swertia albicaulis var. columbiana becomes a synonym of Frasera albicaulis var. columbiana, whereas Swertia albicaulis becomes the corresponding synonym for Frasera albicaulis var. albicaulis. But at PLANTS we retain all symbols and names, so if we have previously used the auton
