The International Plant Name Index is known for standardising plant scientific names, including the standard forms of authors' names. I heard that one person's standard form may be chosen when publishing the first scientific name, and it must be unique. In my case it was very easy because my surname had not been used before, hence my standard form is 'Gaem' (I chose it and IPNI accepted it). However, IPNI changes some people's standard forms in order to abbreviate their surnames. For instance:
Kawasaki --> Kawas.
Fernandes --> Fern.
Please note that I do not refer to the cases where IPNI adds abbreviations of people's forenames to their standard forms. Ex.:
Barros --> R.Barros
The concept first started in the following book.
K. Brummitt and 1 more
Authors of Plant Names: A List of Authors of Scientific Names of Plants, with Recommended Standard Forms of Their Names, Including
IPNI follows this and continuously updated in their website.
ICN also follows this.
IPNI (www.ipni.org) abbreviates authors surnames in order to make Standard Form. This has several advantages and brings stability and discipline in author citation. For example:
1. It makes citation of those authors easier who have long surnames, e.g. Mart.-Hern. & Tom.Hern. for Martínez-Hernández & Tomasini-Ortiz, Sal.-Cheb. & Locq. for Salard-Cheboldaeff & Locquin, etc.
2. It standardizes abbreviated surnames, e.g. A.C. Sm. for Albert Charles Smith, A.H. Sm. for Alexander Hanchett Smith, A.J.E. Sm. for Anthony John Edwin Smith, A.L. Sm. for Annie Lorrain Smith, A.M. Sm. for Annie Elizabeth Morrill Smith, A.P.M. Sm. for Anna Petronella Maria Smith, A.R. Sm. for Alan Reid Smith, etc. Without standardized abbreviations, such names are likely to be cited confusingly.
3. It helps in avoiding incorrect citation of authors having similar initials, e.g. A. Chandra for Aindrila Chandra, Amb. Chandra for Ambika Chandra, Anil Chandra for Anil Chandra. In the absence of Standard Form, these names are likely to intermixed.
4. Similarly, authors of fossil taxa are dealt by IFPNI (www.fossilplants.info).
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