The names of the higher taxa for vascular plants can be either descriptive or based on the name of an included family (Art. 16.1). As descriptive names can not be typified and may be defined only by circumscription, such names should be avoided for nomenclatural purposes.
The following is a listing of name at the ranks of division, subdivision, class and subclass now in current use for extant vascular plants. The arrangement is phylogenetic and follows my current views. Important synonyms are listed.
An ongoing review of both extant (Reveal) and fossil (Doweld) supraordinal names will shortly result in the publication or validation of several additional names. Corrections to existing names will be made at they are found and confirmed. JLR - 7 Dec 2000
Division Lycopodiophyta D.H. Scott, Stud. Foss. Pl.: 13, 500-501. 1900.
Lepidodendrophyta Bessey, Nebraska Univ. Stud. 7: 320. 1907.
Subdivision Lycopodiophytina Reveal, Phytologia 79: 70. 29 Apr 1996.
Class Lycopodiopsida Bartl., Ord. Nat. Pl.: 14, 19. Sep 1830.
Subclass Lycopodiidae Bek., Kurs Bot. 1: 115. 1862.
Class Selaginellopsida A.B. Frank in J. Leunis, Syn. Pflanzenk., ed. 2, 3: 1, 5. 1877.
Isoetopsida J.H. Schaffn., Proc. Ohio Acad. Sci. 5: 297. 5 Jan 1910.
Subclass Selaginellidae Knobl. in J.E.B. Warming, Handb. Syst. Bot. (ed. Knoblauch): 157. Apr 1890.
Subclass Isoetidae Reveal, Phytologia 79: 70. Apr 1996.
Division Equisetophyta D.H. Scott, Stud. Foss. Pl.: 13, 489, 492-493. 1900.
Calamitophyta Bessey, Nebraska Univ. Stud. 7: 319. 1907.
Sphenophyllophyta D. H. Scott, Stud. Foss. Pl.: 495-496. 1900.
Subdivision Equisetophytina Reveal, Phytologia 79: 70. 29 Apr 1996.
Class Equisetopsida C.A. Agardh, Classes Pl. (1): 7. 20 Mai 1825.
Subclass Equisetidae Pax in Prantl, Lehrb. Bot., ed. 10: 207, 216. Apr 1896.
Division Psilotophyta Heintze, Cormofyt. Fylog.: 22. 1927.
Subdivision Psilotophytina Tippo ex Reveal, Phytologia 79: 70. 29 Apr 1996.
Class Psilotopsida D.H. Scott, Stud. Foss. Pl., ed. 2: 616, 631, 632. 1909.
Subclass Psilotidae Reveal, Phytologia 79: 70. Apr 1996.
Division Polypodiophyta Cronquist, Takht. & Zimmerm., Taxon 15: 133. Apr 1966.
Pteridophyta Bessey, Bot. High Schools: 361. Mai-Sep 1880.
Marattiophyta Heintze, Cormofyt. Fylog.: 22. 1927.
Ophioglossophyta Bek., Kurs Bot. 1: 89. 1862.
Subdivision Polypodiophytina Reveal, Phytologia 79: 70. 29 Apr 1996.
Pteridophytina Engl., Bot. Gart. Breslau: 10, 11. 1886.
Class Polypodiopsida Cronquist, Takht. & Zimmerm., Taxon 15: 133. Apr 1966.
Marsileopsida Trevis., Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belgique 16: 5. ante 6 Mai 1877
Pteridopsida Ritgen, Aufeinanderfolge Org. Gest.: 63. 1828.
Subclass Marattiidae Cronquist, Takht. & Zimmerm., Taxon 15: 133. Apr 1966.
Subclass Ophioglossidae Takht. ex Reveal, Phytologia 79: 70. Apr 1996.
Subclass Polypodiidae Cronquist, Takht. & Zimmerm., Taxon 15: 133. Apr 1966.
Salviniidae Cronquist, Takht. & Zimmerm. ex Reveal, Phytologia 79: 71. Apr 1996.
Division Pinophyta Cronquist, Takht. & Zimmerm. ex Reveal, Phytologia 79: 70. Apr 1996.
Cycadophyta Bessey, Nebraska Univ. Stud. 7: 47. Oct 1907.
Ginkgoophyta H.C. Bold ex Reveal, Phytologia 79: 69. Apr 1996.
Gnetophyta Bessey, Nebraska Univ. Stud. 7: 49. Oct 1907.
Subdivision Cycadophytina Cronquist, Takht. & Zimmerm. ex Reveal, Phytologia 79: 69. Apr 1996.
Class Cycadopsida Brongn., Enum. Pl. Mus. Paris: xxxii, 136. 12 Aug 1843.
Zamiopsida Endl., Gen. Pl.: 70. Aug 1836.
Subclass Cycadidae Pax in Prantl, Lehrb. Bot., ed. 10: 226, 227. Apr 1896.
Subdivision Ginkgoophytina Cronquist, Takht. & Zimmerm. ex Reveal, Phytologia 79: 69. Apr 1996.
Class Ginkgoopsida Engl. In Engl. & Prantl, Nat. Pflanzenfam. Nachtr.: 341. Dec 1897.
Subclass Ginkgooidae Reveal, Phytologia 79: 69. Apr 1996.
Subdivision Pinophytina Cronquist, Takht. & Zimmerm. ex Reveal, Phytologia 79: 70. Apr 1996.
Class Pinopsida Burnett, Outl. Bot.: 483, 1090. Jun 1835.
Subclass Pinidae Cronquist, Takht. & Zimmerm., Taxon 15: 134. Apr 1966.
Class Taxopsida Florin ex Doweld & Reveal, Phytologia 84: 364. 26 Aug 1999.
Subclass Taxidae Ehrend. ex Reveal, Phytologia 79: 71. Apr 1996.
Class Podocarpopsidae Doweld & Reveal, Phytologia 84: 365. 26 Aug 1999.
Subclass Podocarpidae Doweld & Reveal, Phytologia 84: 366. 26 Aug 1999.
Subdivision Gnetophytina Cronquist, Takht. & Zimmerm. ex Reveal, Phytologia 79: 69. Apr 1996.
Class Ephedropsida L.D. Benson ex Reveal, Phytologia 79: 69. Apr 1996.
Subclass Ephedridae Cronquist, Takht. & Zimmerm. ex Reveal, Phytologia 79: 69. Apr 1996.
Class Gnetopsida Eichl. ex Kirpotenko, Ocerk Estestv. Klassif. Rast.: vii, 31. 1884.
Subclass Gnetidae Pax in Prantl, Lehrb. Bot., ed. 10: 226, 233. Apr 1896.
Class Welwitschiopsida B. Boivin, Bull. Soc. Bot. France 103: 494. Nov 1956.
Subclass Welwitschiidae Cronquist, Takht. & Zimmerm. ex Reveal, Phytologia 79: 71. Apr 1996.
Division Magnoliophyta Cronquist, Takht. & Zimmerm. ex Reveal, Phytologia 79: 70. Apr 1996.
Subdivision Magnoliophytina Frohne & U. Jensen ex Reveal, Phytologia 79: 70. 29 Apr 1996.
Class Magnoliopsida Brongn., Enum. Pl. Mus. Paris: xxvi, 95. 12 Aug 1843.
Lauropsida Horan., Prim. Lin. Syst. Nat.: 59. 1834.
Subclass Magnoliidae Novák ex Takht., Sist. Filog. Cvetk. Rast.: 51. Jan-Mar 1967.
Class Piperopsida Bartl., Ord. Nat. Pl.: 78, 83. Sep 1830.
Subclass Piperidae Reveal, Phytologia 76: 3. 1994.
Subclass Nymphaeidae J.W. Walker ex Takht., Divers. Classif. Fl. Pl.: 74. 1 Mai 1997.
Class Liliopsida Batsch, Tab. Regni Veg.: 121. 2 Mai 1802.
Subclass Alismatidae Takht., Sist. Filog. Cvetk. Rast.: 461. Jan-Mar 1967.
Aridae Takht., Divers. Classif. Fl. Pl.: 579. 1 Mai 1997.
Triurididae Takht. ex Reveal, Novon 2: 235. 1992.
Subclass Liliidae J.H. Schaffn., Ohio Naturalist 11: 413. Dec 1911.
Subclass Commelinidae Takht., Sist. Filog. Cvetk. Rast.: 171. Jan-Mar 1967.
Arecidae Takht., Sist. Filog. Cvetk. Rast.: 425. Jan-Mar 1967.
Zingiberidae Cronquist, Brittonia 30: 505. 1978.
Class Ranunculopsida Brongn., Enum. Pl. Mus. Paris: xxvi, 96. 12 Aug 1843.
Subclass Ranunculidae Takht. ex Reveal, Novon 2: 235. 1992.
Nelumbonidae Takht., Divers. Classif. Fl. Pl.: 83. 1 Mai 1997.
Class Rosopsida Batsch, Dispos. Gen. Pl. Jenens.: 28. 1788.
Caryophyllopsida Bartl. in Bartl. & Wendl., Beitr. Bot.: 137. Dec 1825.
Hamamelidopsida Brongn., Enum. Pl. Mus. Paris: xxix, 109. 1843.
Subclass Caryophyllidae Takht., Sist. Filog. Cvetk. Rast.: 144. Jan-Mar 1967.
Subclass Rosidae Takht., Sist. Filog. Cvetk. Rast.: 264. Jan-Mar 1967.
Hamamelididae Takht., Sist. Filog. Cvetk. Rast.: 461. Jan-Mar 1967.
Subclass Cornidae Frohne & U. Jensen ex Reveal, Phytologia 76: 4. 1994.
Dilleniidae Takht. ex Reveal & Tahkt., Phytologia 74: 171. 25 Mar 1993.
Subclass Lamiidae Takht. ex Reveal, Phytologia 74: 178. 25 Mar 1993.
Subclass Asteridae Takht., Sist. Filog. Cvetk. Rast.: 405. Jan-Mar 1967.
