The Use of Alternative Names for a Few Well Known Angiosperm Families Vis-A-Vis Fabaceae versus Papilionaceae: Historical Perspective

The paper is a brief historical resume on the genesis and development of familial concept as a natural unit in plants and its nomenclature. It explains in the backdrop of Latin grammar, how names with diverse terminations once dominated family nomenclature in taxonomic literature. It also narrates the logical efforts that followed to rationalize the family names to its present state leaving room for use of alternative names for a few angiosperm families. Besides, the paper discusses the proper use of the names Leguminosae, Fabaceae and Papilionaceae, and the associated problems.