Unfortunately, many of the wheat classifications have nomenclatural errors, spelling mistakes, and incorrect authority citations. Each of the current treatments of Gandilyan (1972), Dorofeev et al. (1979), Hammer (1980), Witcombe (1983), Love (1984), Flora of Turkey (1985), Kimber and Sears (1987), Kimber and Feldman (1987), Mac Key (1988), and van Slageren (1994) will be presented in a corrected version. When species names are known to be incorrect or misspelled, they will be changed or indicated as such. The historical treatments of Percival (1921), Zhukovsky (1928), Eig (1929), Flaksberger (1935), Kiliara (1954), Schiemann (1948), Jakubziner (1958), Bowden (1959), Chennaveeraiah (1960), Mac Key (1966), and Morris and Sears (1967) will be left in their original forms except for corrections of authority citations and notations of invalid, illegitimate, and ambiguous names.
In the case of authority citations, the spelling and abbreviation of the names of authorities will follow Brummitt and Powell (1992), the publication that sets the current standard throughout the international botanical community. A Table of Authorities, including names and abbreviations found in wheat taxonomy, is also available on the WGRC web site. A Nomenclatural Errors Table lists names known to be invalid (names not effectively published according to the ICBN), illegitimate (names incorrectly applied according to the ICBN), and ambiguous (names which are in doubt because identity of the associated type specimen is ambiguous). There also is an Orphan Names Table which will list names, typically for domesticated forms, that have been dropped or are not treated in most current classifications due to changing treatment concepts.
Internet Access
Tables are formatted for direct viewing or downloading and are
accessible directly on the WGRC site or by link from the GrainTax
site. GrainTax, which is located on GrainGenes (http://
wheat.pw.usda.gov), was established to serve the project. In addition
to its link to the WGRC Tables, GrainTax contains a bulletin board
for postings and a mailgroup (to join, contact Dave Matthews,
matthews@greengenes.cit.cornell.edu). This internet compilation of
current and historical classifications provides a central location
where names and treatment concepts of the wheats can be viewed and
checked. The tables are an authoritative source for verifying correct
taxonomic usage. It is hoped that their availability over the
internet will encourage a more consistent usage of taxonomic names in
wheat research.
Project Status
All 24 Classification Tables are available for access although users are advised that they are not yet in their fully corrected forms. For the next step, the Project will develop a cross-referencing system with two different components -- (1) linking names to classifications and (2) linking a name to all of its synonyms. Included in this system will be a Table of Synonyms containing an alphabetical listing of all taxonomic names which the wheats are known. Projected operation for these components is in 2000.
Postings concerning the project will appear on the GrainTax web site and will be emailed to GrainTax mailgroup subscribers. Written or email comments on the operation and design of the Classification and Synonymy Tables are invited from the wheat research community.