THE GREY AREA BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE: THE CHOICE BETWEEN BOTANICAL CODE AND CULTIVATED CODE

The occurrence of two Codes (i.e. International Code of Botanical Nomenclature and International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants) forces everybody who works in the field of nomenclature to make a choice between the two groups of rules and recommendations. The separation of cultivated plants from wild plants seems plausible but is somewhat arbitrary. In some cases it is rather difficult to choose. This situation is due to several reasons. The reasons will be discussed and examples will be added. The question arises whether it is useful to have two classification systems, which follow different principles, to be used in the same group. The nomenclature problems of the transitional area will be compared with the questions about the indigenousness of adventitious plants and the so-called 'stinzeplants' in the Netherlands and Germany, and with their answers.