What are synonyms and accepted names, and how are they portrayed in PLANTS?
A. Accepted names are listed flush on the left margin, and are the currently accepted scientific name for a particular plant. Synonyms, indented below their corresponding accepted names, are names that have been used previously to refer to that plant, but for taxonomic or nomenclatural reasons are no longer preferred. In many cases the currently accepted name may reflect a more appropriate taxonomic placement, for example, the species is more at home in its current genus. Or, it may have been determined that a previously used name was not validly published, and hence may not be used. Also, synonyms often were published after the publication of an accepted name referring to the same species, and according to nomenclatural rules of priority, the older name must be used.
