(280–281) Proposals on definitions of "treatment as algae, fungi, or plants"

In the context of homonymy, names of any organisms once treated as algae, fungi, or plants must be considered under the Code (Art. 54). However, “treatment as algae, fungi, or plants” is not well defined in the Code. In recent years, many experts and amateurs “publish” personal websites introducing their own classification systems. However, “treatments” in such websites are difficult to be followed, and should not be considered in the context of homonymy. In another confusing case, Nozaki & al. (in J. Molec. Evol. 56: 485–497. 2003) included many protozoan lineages (“Kinetoplastida”, “Heterolobosea”, “Apicomplexa”, and “Ciliophora” [or ciliates, not the fungal genus Ciliophora Petr.]) in Plantae, based on phylogenetic analyses. When this is interpreted as treatments as plants, names of taxa belonging to these protozoan lineages are subject to the rules of priority and homonymy of the ICN, although the authors did not intend such nomenclatural consequences (Nozaki, pers. comm.). To restrict these considerations only to those resulting from effective publications and to avoid confusing consequences from ambiguous treatments, “treatment as algae, fungi, or plants” should be clearly defined, and I propose the following amendment to Art. 54.1.