Having personally written Rec. H.3A.1, I do not see that it offers scope for being misread: the placement of the multiplication sign is a matter of style (and insight). As background information, the ICBN-preferred style is to put it directly in front of the name or epithet (no space whatsoever: ×Agropogon littoralis): just keep it nice together, so as to give computers no chance to mess it up (after all, at a line break, a computer is likely to separate these over more than one line).
Rec. H.3A Note 1 has been put in there (redundantly) for those who are careless readers, just to make sure the matter could not possibly be misunderstood by even the most whimsical. So, in a formula, the parents are separated by: space, multiplication sign, space; Agrostis stolonifera × Polypogon monspeliensis.
Paul van Rijckevorsel
* * * -----Oorspronkelijk bericht----- Van: tdwg-content-bounces@lists.tdwg.org namens Bob Morris Verzonden: wo 8-12-2010 20:12 Aan: Markus Döring (GBIF) CC: tdwg-content@lists.tdwg.org List Onderwerp: Re: [tdwg-content] canonical name for named hybrid & infragenericnames
Your placement of the multiplication sign × does not seem code compliant. It looks too close. Maybe. Also there might be a question about whether a TDWG requirement to use the multiplication sign can be easily implemented by all providers.
On these subjects The Appendix on Hybrid Names of ICBN seems contradictory in that H.3A.1 (http://ibot.sav.sk/icbn/frameset/0071AppendixINoHa003.htm, quoted below) seems to allow your placement, but Note 1. there seems to require space. Note 1. would, with H.3A.1 imply that there must be more white space to the left than right of the multiplication sign or its surrogate. One spacing that seems to violate all interpretations of A.3A.1 is equal white space around the multiplication sign. My guess is that the overwhelming fraction of printed hybrid names are thereby noncompliant unless something elsewhere resolves the issue). Making the amount of white space significant in a parsed string is a horrifying thought.
--Bob Morris
"Recommendation H.3A
H.3A.1. The multiplication sign ×, indicating the hybrid nature of a taxon, should be placed so as to express that it belongs with the name or epithet but is not actually part of it. The exact amount of space, if any, between the multiplication sign and the initial letter of the name or epithet should depend on what best serves readability.
Note 1. The multiplication sign × in a hybrid formula is always placed between, and separate from, the names of the parents. H.3A.2. If the multiplication sign is not available it should be approximated by a lower case letter "x" (not italicized)." http://ibot.sav.sk/icbn/frameset/0071AppendixINoHa003.htm
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On Wed, Dec 8, 2010 at 1:14 PM, "Markus Döring (GBIF)" mdoering@gbif.org wrote:
talking about canonical names again I want to use the oppertunity and get rid of another question I have. What is the code compliant canonical version of named hybrids (not formulas) and infrageneric names?
Are these examples correct?
Botanical section: verbatim: Maxillaria sect. Multiflorae Christenson canonical: Maxillaria sect. Multiflorae
Botanical subgenus: verbatim: Anthemis subgen. Maruta (Cass.) Tzvelev canonical: Anthemis subgen. Maruta
Botanical series: verbatim: Artemisia ser. Codonocephalae (Pamp.) Y.R.Ling canonical: Artemisia ser. Codonocephalae
Zoological subgenus: verbatim: Murex (Promurex) Ponder & Vokes, 1988 canonical: Murex subgen. Promurex # if we use parenthesis to indicate the subgenus we can only guess if its an author or subgenus name
Zoological species verbatim: Leptochilus (Neoleptochilus) beaumonti Giordani Soika 1953 canonical: Leptochilus beaumonti
Botanical named genus hybrid: verbatim: ×Agropogon littoralis (Sm.) C. E. Hubb. canonical: ×Agropogon littoralis
Botanical named infrageneric hybrid: verbatim: Eryngium nothosect. Alpestria Burdet & Miège canonical: Eryngium nothosect. Alpestria
Botanical named species hybrid: verbatim: Salix ×capreola Andersson (1867) canonical: Salix ×capreola Andersson (1867)
Botanical variety, named species hybrid: verbatim: Populus ×canadensis var. serotina (R. Hartig) Rehder canonical: Populus ×canadensis var. serotina
Botanical named infraspecific hybrid: verbatim: Polypodium vulgare nothosubsp. mantoniae(Rothm.) Schidlay canonical: Polypodium vulgare nothosubsp. mantoniae