The nomenclature of Russula species and the Sydney rules

A recent paper by Th. W. Kuyper & M. van Vuure shows general agreement with an earlier paper by Singer & Machol on many nomenclatural problems and on the number of Russula species affected by the new starting point rules. A few minor disagreements with regard to contradiction between Arts. 13.1 and 63 are mentioned, and those regarding R. delica, R. nitida and R. atropurpurea are explained. We conclude (contrary to Kuyper & van Vuure’s conclusions) that their statements confirm that Art. 13.1 as it now stands is detrimental to stability in nomenclature of Basidiomycetes, and unsettling as well as burdensome to the working taxonomist, and should be changed according to Proposal 42 now before the Nomenclature Committee.