Names of Southern African grasses: Name changes and additional species reported since 1955

Abstract

In the twenty‐five years since Chippindall's ‘Guide to the Identification of Grasses’ in Meredith The Grasses and Pastures of South Africa (1955), which covered about 910 species and subspecific taxa, there have been 227 name changes and 1791 additional species published for southern Africa and accepted by the National Herbarium at the Botanical Research Institute, Pretoria (PRE). The changed names are listed alphabetically both by the currently accepted name and by the old name (synonym). The additional species are also listed alphabetically. The main reasons for changes in botanical names are briefly reviewed, with examples from the lists. At this time, about 1040 grass species and subspecific taxa are recognized in the subcontinent.