# Space or no? Named hybrid plants

**URL:** <https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/space-or-no-named-hybrid-plants/9959>\
**Category:** Curators\
**Created:** [November 27, 2019, 7:22pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/space-or-no-named-hybrid-plants/9959 "2019-11-27T19:22:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jdmore](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/jdmore/32/1116_2.png) [@jdmore](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jdmore)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2019, 7:22pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/space-or-no-named-hybrid-plants/9959/1 "2019-11-27T19:22:04Z")

</div>

> [@Scientific names not capitalized properly at rank Genushybrid](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/scientific-names-not-capitalized-properly-at-rank-genushybrid/4709/2):
>
> I think that it has to have a space between, like × Catyclia for example

In practice ([https://www.iapt-taxon.org/nomen/pages/main/art\_h3.html](https://www.iapt-taxon.org/nomen/pages/main/art_h3.html)), named nothotaxa are shown with no extra space between the × symbol and the name. Hybrid formulae, on the other hand, always have spaces on both sides of the × symbol.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PdFuenteB](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/pdfuenteb/32/5015_2.png) [@PdFuenteB](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/PdFuenteB)\
**Post date:** [November 27, 2019, 7:46pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/space-or-no-named-hybrid-plants/9959/2 "2019-11-27T19:46:56Z")

</div>

Thank you @jdmore I did not knew that.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PdFuenteB](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/pdfuenteb/32/5015_2.png) [@PdFuenteB](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/PdFuenteB)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 1:42pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/space-or-no-named-hybrid-plants/9959/3 "2019-12-01T13:42:59Z")

</div>

I have read more carefully and it does not seam like the space in nothotaxa matter that much:

“_ **H.3A.1.** _ In named hybrids, the multiplication sign × belongs with the name or epithet but is not actually part of it, and its placement should reflect that relation. _ **The exact amount of space, if any** _, between the multiplication sign and the initial letter of the name or epithet should _ **depend on what best serves readability** _.”

I guess that we could choose one or another on iNat, but I would like to have consistency, so not sure how this could be solved. Maybe we could start a thread about this specific topic on the general forum or the curator forum.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jdmore](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/jdmore/32/1116_2.png) [@jdmore](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/jdmore)\
**Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 9:13pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/space-or-no-named-hybrid-plants/9959/4 "2019-12-01T21:13:35Z")

</div>

Yes, I was just noting that the composers of the text in the Code chose the option to not add any space. And I think that has always been the case in previous versions of the code. So that seems like a reasonable standard to follow.

I think we should wait and see if the developers can adjust the iNat coding to properly capitalize both options – with space or without, before starting a debate about which standard to follow. At Genushybrid rank, the word(s) should always be capitalized, whether expressed as a name or as a formula.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bouteloua](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/bouteloua/32/1180_2.png) [@bouteloua](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/bouteloua)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 11:32pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/space-or-no-named-hybrid-plants/9959/5 "2020-02-03T23:32:47Z")

</div>

Unfortunately it looks like differences between hybrid spacing in names on iNat vs. POWO cause these to be listed as deviations:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/6/69f0a932f6075db978db74e306ca68dee2fbd4c2.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PdFuenteB](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/pdfuenteb/32/5015_2.png) [@PdFuenteB](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/PdFuenteB)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2020, 7:20am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/space-or-no-named-hybrid-plants/9959/6 "2020-02-05T07:20:58Z")

</div>

Then it would be better to have a space for consistency with POWO?