Fungal Nomenclature

The Code

Rules for the scientific naming of fungi are laid out in the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants. The Code also includes provisions for its governance. Appendices to the Code list names that have been conserved, protected or rejected, along with lists of suppressed works.
There are on-line versions of the Code and its appendices, along with printed versions, prepared after each International Botanical Congress. The current edition is the Shenzhen Code.

An innovation of the Shenzhen Code is that provisions relating solely to names of fungi are brought together in Chapter F.
It is important that mycologists consult the latest version of Chapter F, which is:

• May TW, Redhead SA, Bensch K, Hawksworth DL, Lendemer J, Lombard L, Turland NJ (2019). Chapter F of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants as approved by the 11th International Mycological Congress, San Juan, Puerto Rico, July 2018. IMA Fungus 10:21: 1–14.

Governance

Rules for governance of the Code are set out in its Division III. Changes to governance introduced in the Shenzhen Code mean that amendments to Chapter F of the Code (provisions that deal solely with names of organisms treated as fungi) are dealt with by the Fungal Nomenclature Session of an International Mycological Congress. The rest of the Code (most of which also applies to fungi) is governed by the Nomenclature Section of an International Botanical Congress. 

• Hawksworth DL, May TW, Redhead SA (2017). Fungal nomenclature evolving: changes adopted by the 19th International Botanical Congress in Shenzhen 2017, and procedures for the Fungal Nomenclature Session at the 11th International Mycological Congress in Puerto Rico 2018. IMA Fungus 8(2): 211–218. 

Fungal Nomenclature Session

The Fungal Nomenclature Session (FNS) is the forum in which formal proposals to amend Chapter F of the Code are considered.

Prior to the FNS there is a Guiding vote on all formally published proposals to amend the Code. 

The FNS also appoints the Nomenclature Committee for Fungi.

Decisions of the FNS become binding upon acceptance by the plenary session of the same International Mycological Congress.

The Fungal Nomenclature Session at IMC12 in Maastricht in 2024 will be held on a day to be advised. All persons registered for at least that day of the Congress are eligible to attend and vote in the FNS. Each person eligible to attend has one vote, and there are no institutional votes. Only those present in the room, on the day, can vote.

The Agenda and Procedures for the Fungal Nomenclature Session will be made available prior to the Congress. 

For the format of proposals, please see: 

• May TW (2020) Procedures and timetable for proposals to amend Chapter F of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants. IMA Fungus 11:21: 1–4.

A Summary of proposals will be published prior to the Congress.

Any more "Proposals from the floor" must be in the hands of the Secretaries in electronic form prior to the start of the Fungal Nomenclature Session. Send to tom [dot] may [at] rbg [dot] vic [dot] gov [dot] au

Fungal Nomenclature Bureau

The Fungal Nomenclature Bureau (FNB) is responsible for organising the Fungal Nomenclature Session and the Guiding vote.

For the Fungal Nomenclature Session at IMC12 in 2024 the Fungal Nomenclature Bureau comprises:

• Amy Rossman (Corvallis, USA, Chair)
• Tom May (Melbourne, Australia, Secretary)
• Konstanze Bensch  (Utrecht, Netherlands, Deputy Secretary)
• TBC  (Recorder)