Nomenclatural status of the palaeobotanical “artificial taxa” established in brongniart’s 1822 “classification” paper

Abstract

Brongniart’s 1822 paper “Sur la classification et la distribution des végétaux fossils” was one of the most important early contributions to palaeobotany, especially in its treatment of how to name and classify plant fossils. Twenty four genera / sections were named in this work. Seven of these names have been supressed for nomenclatural or taxonomic reasons (Exogenites, Clatharia, Sagenaria, Filicites, Phyllites, Poacites, Carpolithes), and four are difficult to use because of problems with typification and / or diagnosis of the taxa (Endogenites, Culmites, Fucoides, Antholithes). However, many of the remaining names are still in widespread use, albeit not always correctly, notably Calamites, Sigillaria, Stigmaria, Sphenopteris, Neuropteris, Pecopteris, Odontopteris, Sphenophyllum, Glossopteris, Asterophyllites, albeit with altered orthographies or conserved with different types.