XVI International Botanical Congess

Taxonomic decision has practical consequences for nature conservation and protection of biodiversity. When taxonomist denies the existence of validity of a taxon, it looses its legitimacy and the chance to be protected, the chance to survive. By merging a taxon into synonymy taxonomist can put valid species or other taxa into illegitimate status and sentence them to extinction. Many taxonomists think , that to reduce a taxon into synonymy involves less responsibility than to describe a new one. It is not so. More rigorous and conscientious work of taxonomists is needed . Inaccessibility of type material or type locality is not sufficient reason to neglect validly described species. Characteristic features less recognizable in dried stage many not be left out of consideration. These an similar reasons are completely insufficient justification for killing species. The problem is illustrated with both positive and negative examples.