Quo vadis Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature?

Abstract

I spent four years of my life either writing and/or editing a vegetation survey of Austria (Mucina et al. 1993). Our team (Georg Grabherr, Tom Ellmauer, Susi Wallnöfer and myself) agreed to use the Code of Phytosociological Nomenclature, 2nd ed. (the Code, Barkman et al. 1986) to revise the nomenclature of old syntaxa and for the description of new ones. Here I summarise my experience with this undertaking in an attempt to interpret it in a more general context. A new version of the Code is presently being prepared. Therefore I cannot resist commenting on the idea of the Code per se, as well as on developments to come, hoping they will not come true. There is no way that I can avoid being personal as the major source of the ideas presented below is based on my own experience. It is, therefore, I who am ready and willing to bear the consequences of this essay.