Newly discovered orchid types (Orchidaceae) in the Herbarium Gottingense with selected lectotypifications

Abstract

Thorough investigation of old collections is an important service to taxonomy and history of science. In this process, many old collections that may have been forgotten can be made available again for science. Recently, online databases like Tropicos (www.tropicos.org), the World checklist of selected plant families (http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/home.do) and The plant list (www.theplantlist.org) have facilitated this work (Steudel et al. 2012). It has not yet been recognized that many old collections are rich in type material. These specimens are of particular value since some collections have been destroyed (e.g. Herbarium Berolinense in World War II), and it is important to compile lists of type material from the 18th and 19th century from as many herbaria as possible. An example is the discovery of type material of Bipinnula polysyka Kraenzl. (Kränzlin 1887; Orchidaceae) in Zurich (Z & ZT) by Steudel et al. (2012). This material has been designated as lectotype of the species as it represents the only known original material (Sanguinetti et al. 2015). Additionally, a complete revision of a group can clarify nomenclatural confusion (Steudel 2012).

Digitization of the historical Herrenhausen Herbarium at Göttingen (GOET), with special focus on plants collected in Switzerland in 1820

“…This collection was in part revised by Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach (1824Reichenbach ( -1889 for Orchidaceae (Reichenbach, 1867), Heinrich Wilhelm Schott (1794Schott ( -1865 for Araceae (Schott, 1858) and Johannes Ludwig Emil Robert von Hanstein (1822Hanstein ( -1880 for Gesneriaceae (Hanstein, 1865). Recently, Steudel & Appelhans (2016) identified additional type material from the collection.…”

“…Since the donation of this herbarium to GOET, numerous specimens have been identified as type material and have been transferred to the "Type Herbarium" mainly by the late Prof. G. Wagenitz. Together with all other specimens in the Type Herbarium, these specimens have already been digitized in the framework of the Global Plants Project, funded by "The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation" and can be searched online at JSTOR-Global Plants (https://plants.jstor.org/). Recent publications including specimens from this herbarium are, e.g., Steudel & Appelhans (2016;e.g., GOET013902, type of Maxillaria atrata Rchb.f. ), Dowe & al.…”