中国海草的“藻”名更改

THE NOMENCLATURE OF THE “ALGAE” NAME OF SEAGRASSES IN CHINA

海草(Seagrasses)是地球上可完全生活在海水中的被子植物,是由陆地植物演化到适应海洋环境的高等植物。然而,高等植物海草在中国经常被冠以低等植物"藻"的名称。中国海草现有22种,隶属于4科10属,其中科名、属名和种名分别有3科、7属和16种是以"藻"命名的,易让人们把海草误以为是海藻(Seaweed),造成混乱,同时给中国海草的研究、保护和利用带来不利影响。值此"第十一次国际海草生物学研讨会"(The 11th International Seagrass Biology Workshop)首次在中国举行之际,国内众多的海草研究专家得以共聚,有机会共同探讨中国海草的"藻"名更改。经过研讨,专家们形成一致意见,建议将这些被命名为"藻"的海草统一命名为"草",以期促进我国海草研究与保护的全面推进。随着未来中国海草种类与分布的深入调查,以后新发现的海草种类名称建议也统一命名为"草"名。

Seagrasses are epigeal angiosperms, whose flower, fructify and germinate are completely under the seawater. Seagrasses evolved from land plants, and adapted to marine environments. However, seagrasses, belonging to higher plants, are often taxonomically named as ＂algae＂ in China. There are 22 species of seagrasses belonging to 4 families and 10 genera in China, with the name of 16 species, 7 genera and 3 families as ＂algae＂ in their Chinese scientific name. Thus, people may confuse seagrasses and algae/ seaweeds, resulting in negative impacts on seagrass research, protection, and utilization. On the occasion of ＂The 11th International Seagrass Biology Workshop＂ held in China for the first time, the domestic experts of seagrass research discussed this issue. In order to promote the research and conservation of seagrasses, all the experts reach a consensus on unifying the Chinese scientific name of seagrass as ＂grass＂ instead of ＂algae＂. In addition, with intensive investigation of seagrass species and distribution in China in future, the newly discovered seagrass species should also be unified as the Chinese scientific name of ＂grass＂.