Ruthiella, a new generic name for Phyllocharis Diels, 1917, non Fée, 1824 (Campanulaceae)

In Taxon 10 (1961) 261, a proposal was published to conserve the generic name of the Papuan genus Phyllocharis Diels, 1917, against Phyllocharis Fée, Essai Crypt. (1824) lix, xciv, t. ii, fig. 3 & 7, a name for a genus of Lichens. Fée was the only author who ever recognized it; it was reduced by Montagne about 15 years later and this reduction was accepted by all later lichenologists. As a matter of fact an experienced lichenologist was one of the three botanists who endorsed the proposal by undersigning it. Therefore, no harm would have come from accepting the proposal and this would have been distinctly useful for stabilizing the generic name Phyllocharis in the Campanulaceae, not only for the few botanists working in New Guinea, but for all handbooks and monographs on the family. It is precisely for this purpose that there is the provision in the Rules to conserve generic names. No useful purpose is pursued to drop established names if it is reasonable to maintain them, which I strongly think it is in this case. The proposal has unfortunately been found redundant by the majority of the Subcommittee for Phanerogams (Taxon 12, 1963, 238) and was rejected. This necessitates the creation of a new generic name and the transfer of the epithets. Ruthiella Steen. nom. nov. — Phyllocharis Diels, Bot. Jahrb. 55 (1917) 122, non Fée, 1824; Wimmer, Pfl. Reich Heft 107 (1953) 724; Tuyn, Fl. Mai. I, 5 (1960) 137.