Typification of Hedysarum caudatum (Leguminosae) Published by Thunberg in 1784

Abstract

Hedysarum caudatum Thunb. was published by Thunberg without citation of its type. The original material was collected by Thunberg in Japan in 1775 or 1776 and is kept in UPS as Thunberg (UPS V-129398). This has been regarded as the holotype of the name. The specimen is, however, in disagreement with the protologue and the description of Thunberg's Flora Japonica as it lacks pods. Since Thunberg distributed his collections from Japan to many colleages in Europe, we supposed that specimens of H. caudatum bearing pods may exist in other herbaria. We regard, therefore, Thunberg (UPS V-129398) as the lectotype of H. caudatum.