J. Biodivers. Conservation 10(2): 181-186
2026
ISSN: 2457-0761 (online)
Rajeev Kumar Singh
Botanical Survey of India, Arid Zone Regional Centre, AIIMS Road, Jodhpur – 342014, Rajasthan, India
E-mail: rksbsiadsingh@gmail.com; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0136-9243
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20710976
Article Details: Received: 2025-11-25 | Accepted: 2026-06-08| Available online: 2026-06-16
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Abstract: Cineraria alata L.f. is transferred to Hertia Less. as Hertia alata (L.f.) R.Kr.Singh. Lectotypes are also designated for the names Cineraria alata L.f. and C. spathulata Lam.
Keywords: Cape of Good Hope, Cape Province, Cineraria alata, Lectotype, South Africa
Introduction
The genus Hertia Less. comprises nine species distributed in North Africa, South Africa and Western Asia (POWO, 2025). The vegetative and floral characters of Cineraria alata L.f., as described in the protologue corresponds well with the diagnostic features of Hertia, supporting its transfer to that genus.
Some online databases indicate that the combination Hertia alata (L.f.) Kuntze was published by C.E.O. Kuntze (1843–1907). However, no evidence of such a combination could be traced in Kuntze’s works. Therefore, the new combination is validly published here. Lectotypes are designated here for the names Cineraria alata L.f. and C. spathulata Lam. in accordance with the guidelines and recommendations of Article 9 of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Turland et al., 2025).
New combination
Hertia alata (L.f.) R.Kr.Singh, comb. nov.
≡ Cineraria alata L.f., Suppl. Pl. 374. 1782. Doria alata (L.f.) Thunb., Nov. Gen. Pl. [Thunberg] 12: 164. 1800. Othonna alata (L.f.) Sch.Bip., Flora 27: 769. 1844. Othonnopsis alata (L.f.) Benth. & Hook.f. ex B.D.Jacks., Index Kew. 1: 789. 1893.
Figure 1: Lectotype of Cineraria alata L.f. (LINN-HS1321-11, © Herbarium, Linnean Society of London)
Figure 2: Isolectotype of Cineraria alata L.f. (S-G-2133, © Department of Botany, Swedish Museum of Natural History)
Figure 3: Lectotype of Cineraria spathulata Lam. (P00342414, © Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris)
Lectotype (designated here): South Africa, Cape, C.P. Thunberg s.n. (LINN-HS1321-11, Figure 1)!; isolectotypes S07-7561!, S07-7562!, S07-7563!, S-G-2133! (Figure 2), SBT13681!, SBT13682!, SBT13683!.
= Cineraria spathulata Lam., Encycl. [J. Lamarck & al.] 2: 8. 1786.
Lectotype (designated here or perhaps holotype): South Africa, Cape of Good Hope, s.d., Anon. s.n. (P00342414!, Figure 3).
Distribution: South Africa (Cape Province).
Notes: Cineraria alata was described by Linnaeus filius (1782) based on specimens collected by C.P. Thunberg from the Cape region of South Africa. No holotype was designated in the protologue, nor was any herbarium specified, which was consistent with the taxonomic practice of that period. Linnaeus filius’ types are known to be held at LINN and S (Stafleu & Cowan, 1981). Eight specimens of C. alata collected by C.P. Thunberg from Cape, South Africa were traced (LINN-HS1321-11, S07-7561, S07-7562, S07-7563, S-G-2133, SBT13681, SBT13682 and SBT13683). Among these, specimen LINN-HS1321-11 is the best preserved and is designated here as the lectotype as it agrees well with the protologue.
For Cineraria spathulata Lam., only a single specimen (P00342414) could be traced in the Lamarck Herbarium at P. As it remains uncertain whether Lamarck examined a single specimen or multiple specimens while preparing the protologue, specimen P00342414 is designated here as the lectotype, although it may ultimately prove to be the holotype.
Acknowledgements
The author is thankful to the Director, Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata and the Head of Office, Botanical Survey of India, Arid Zone Regional Centre, Jodhpur for providing facilities. The author is also grateful to the curators of LINN, P, S and SBT for providing images and information relating to the type specimens.
References
Linnaeus, f. (1782). Supplementum plantarum systematis vegetabilium editionis decimae tertiae, generum plantarum editiones sextae, et specierum plantarum editionis secundae. Impensis Orphanotrophei, Brunsvigae.
POWO. (2025). Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Available from: http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/ (accessed 18 November 2025).
Stafleu, F.A. and Cowan, R.S. (1981). Taxonomic literature, vol. 3. Bohn, Scheltema & Holkema, Utrecht.
Turland, N.J., Wiersema, J.H., Barrie, F.R., Greuter, W., Hawksworth, D.L., Herendeen, P.S., Knapp, S., Kusber, W.-H., Li, D.-Z., Marhold, K., May, T.W., McNeill, J., Monro, A.M., Prado, J., Price,
M.J. and Smith, G.F. (2018). International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Shenzhen Code). Regnum Vegetabile 159. Koeltz Botanical Books, Glashütten. https://doi.org/10.12705/Code.2018
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