ICPS and Carnivorous Plant Cultivar Registration: An International System to Prevent Name Duplication
The International Carnivorous Plant Society (ICPS) was designated by ISHS as the carnivorous plant cultivar registration authority in 1998. We explain the rules for single quotation mark notation and the significance of registration.
Key Takeaways
The International Carnivorous Plant Society (ICPS) was designated by ISHS as the carnivorous plant cultivar registration authority in 1998. We explain the rules for single quotation mark notation and the significance of registration.
Related Species
Carnivorous plants such as Nepenthes (tropical pitcher plants), Sarracenia, and Venus flytrap often have cultivars with names enclosed in single quotation marks, such as ''○○''. These cultivar names are actually based on a registration system managed by an organization called the International Carnivorous Plant Society (ICPS). In this article, we will clarify what kind of organization ICPS is and how it is involved in cultivar registration.
What Kind of Organization is ICPS?
ICPS is an international organization established in 1972 that brings together enthusiasts and researchers of carnivorous plants. Founded as an organization that loosely connects carnivorous plant fans and researchers from around the world, it has long served as a hub for information dissemination and exchange about carnivorous plants. It is an organization that continues activities to share cultivation information and research findings about diverse carnivorous plants, including Nepenthes, Sarracenia, and Venus flytrap.
Role as an International Cultivar Registration Authority
Another important role of ICPS is its function as an international registration authority for carnivorous plant cultivars. In 1998, ICPS was formally designated by the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS) as the International Cultivar Registration Authority (ICRA) for carnivorous plants. As a result, ICPS came to centrally assume the role of officially registering names of new carnivorous plant cultivars and managing them as records.
This designation may be easier to understand by thinking of it as an example of a system in which an international registration authority is established for each field.
| Field | Registration Authority |
|---|---|
| Hybrid orchids | RHS |
| Carnivorous plant cultivars | ICPS |
In this way, the international registration authorities responsible for each field are divided, and for carnivorous plants, ICPS plays that role.
Notation Rules for Cultivar Names and the Registration Registry
Carnivorous plant cultivar names have notation rules based on international nomenclature standards. The basic practice is to enclose cultivar names in single quotation marks, such as in the format ''Akai Ryu''. The presence of this single quotation mark notation makes it immediately clear that the name is not the scientific name of a wild species or merely a common trade name, but an officially registered cultivar name.
ICPS manages the "International Carnivorous Plant Cultivar Registry" as an official registry that collects these cultivar names. The system allows hybridizers or cultivators who have created new cultivars to submit their varieties to this registry and have them recorded.
Practical Significance of Registration
The system of cultivar registration has significance beyond mere formality. Without registration, the following types of confusion can occur:
- The same name used repeatedly for multiple different cultivars
- Conversely, multiple different names circulating for the same cultivar
When such situations occur, confusion arises among hybridizers, cultivators, and purchasers. By centrally managing the official registry, ICPS prevents such name duplication and misuse, ensuring that it is possible to reliably identify which name refers to which cultivar.
Particularly in genera like Nepenthes where hybridization and selection are actively conducted, new cultivars with similar characteristics are constantly being created, making name uniqueness through registration all the more important. For purchasers as well, using the registered cultivar name on the label as a reference makes it easier to investigate what lineage the plant originates from, providing practical benefits.
The Significance of Understanding Registration
The cultivar registration system itself may sound like a specialized topic, but it is knowledge that can be useful in everyday cultivation and purchasing situations. Even when called by the same trade name, it is not uncommon for officially registered cultivars and plants that merely look similar to be mixed together. By being aware of the formal name with single quotation marks, it becomes easier to more accurately understand what lineage the plant you are growing or are about to purchase belongs to.
Summary
ICPS is an international organization for carnivorous plants established in 1972 and was formally designated by ISHS as the International Cultivar Registration Authority (ICRA) in 1998, assuming the role of managing the cultivar registry for carnivorous plants. Through the international rule of expressing cultivar names in single quotation marks and the centralized registration system managed by ICPS, carnivorous plant cultivars such as Nepenthes, Sarracenia, and Venus flytrap can be reliably identified and distributed worldwide without confusion. For specific information such as the creator's name and registration date of particular cultivars, it is best to verify them individually from reliable sources. At GrowerDirect, you can purchase carnivorous plants grown by growers throughout the country online directly, and we will continue to introduce the background of such cultivars in future columns.