Different taxonomic placements may well lead to different correct names. For example, the earliest name for the fastest growing tree in the world is
Adenanthera falcataria L. The "L." stands for "Linnaeus" who first validly published the name.
Adenanthera falcataria is thus one of the correct names for this plant. There are other correct names, based on different taxonomic treatments. • It can be placed in the genus
Albizia, as Fosberg first did. When placed in this genus, the first choice of correct name is the new genus name followed by the earlier species epithet, giving
Albizia falcataria. This name cannot be used if there is already a species in the genus with this epithet, so that an illegitimate duplicate would be created. As this is not the case, the correct name for the plant in this genus is
Albizia falcataria (L.) Fosberg. "Fosberg" is the authority for the transfer to the new genus; "L(innaeus)" the authority for the 'base name' (
basionym) from which the new name is derived. • It can also be placed in the genus
Paraserianthes. Its correct name in that position is
Paraserianthes falcataria (L.) I.C.Nielsen. • Within the genus
Paraserianthes, it is placed in section
Falcataria. If the section is raised in rank to become the genus
Falcataria, the correct name cannot be
Falcataria falcataria, as might be expected, since under the botanical code (but not the zoological code) names with the same word as both the genus and the specific epithet (
tautonyms) are forbidden. An alternative basionym must be sought or a new name created. The correct name is
Falcataria falcata (L.) Greuter & R.Rankin. The four names
Adenanthera falcataria,
Albizia falcataria,
Paraserianthes falcataria and
Falcataria falcata can each be correct given different taxonomic opinions that put the plant in each of these four genera. Which is the 'right' genus is a problem for taxonomy, not nomenclature. Thus this tree species will have a different correct botanical name for different people. Different taxonomists may publish revisions or monographs picking a different
accepted name dependent on their own
circumscription of this taxon, for which the other correct names become
(homotypic) synonyms; note however that there is only one correct name for a given circumscription. == Prokaryotes ==