International Association for Plant Taxonomy
The International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT) is an organization established to promote an understanding of plant biodiversity, facilitate international communication of research between botanists, and oversee matters of uniformity and stability in plant names. The IAPT was founded on July 18, 1950, at the Seventh International Botanical Congress in Stockholm, Sweden. The IAPT headquarters is located in Bratislava, Slovakia. Its president, since 2017, is Patrick S. Herendeen of the Chicago Botanic Garden; vice-president is Gonzalo Nieto Feliner of the Real Jardín Botánico, Madrid; and secretary-general is Karol Marhold of the Plant Science  and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava. Both the taxonomic journal "Taxon" and the series "Regnum Vegetabile" are published by the IAPT. The latter series includes the "International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants", "Index Nominum Genericorum", and "Index Herbariorum". Purpose. The IAPT's primary purpose is the promotion and understanding of biodiversity—the discovery, naming, classification, and systematics of plants—for both living and fossil plants. Additionally, it promotes the study and conservation of plant biodiversity, and works to raise awareness of the general public to this issue. The organization also facilitates international cooperation among botanists  working in the fields of plant systematics, taxonomy, and nomenclature. This is accomplished in part through sponsorship of meetings and publication of resources, such as reference publications and journals. The IAPT also seeks to achieve uniformity and stability in plant names. It accomplishes this through the "International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants", previously known as the "International Code of Botanical Nomenclature", and through the oversight of the International Bureau for Plant Taxonomy and Nomenclature. Publications and online resources. The association's official journal is "Taxon", the only medium for the publication of both proposals to conserve or  reject names and proposals to amend the "International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants." Section::::"Regnum Vegetabile". "Regnum Vegetabile" is a series of books on topics of interest to plant taxonomists. Many of the volumes are literature surveys or monographs in the area of plant systematics. There are several volumes of general use: The series includes many additional volumes of interest to specialists in specific subdisciplines of botany, in addition to the ones listed above. Databases. In addition to electronic versions of its print publications, the IAPT maintains the "Names in Current Use", a database of scientific names of  extant botanical genera. Awards. The IAPT established two Engler Medals in honour of Adolf Engler in 1986: the Engler Medal in Gold awarded every six years for outstanding lifetime contributions to plant taxonomy and presented since 1987 at each International Botanical Congress (IBC), and the Engler Medal in Silver (medal sensu lato) awarded from 1987 to 2001 for a monograph or other work in systematic botany and presented from 1990 to 2002 at various meetings, congresses, symposia, etc. In 2002 the latter medal was divided into three awards for outstanding publications in these areas: the Engler Medal in Silver (medal  sensu stricto) awarded for monographic or floristic plant systematics; the Stafleu Medal awarded for historical, bibliographic, and/or nomenclatural aspects of plant systematics; and the Stebbins Medal awarded for phylogenetic plant systematics and/or plant evolution. The medals honor Adolf Engler (24 March 1844–10 October 1930), Frans Antonie Stafleu (8 September 1921–16 December 1997), and George Ledyard Stebbins, Jr. (6 January 1906–19 January 2000).