Botanical nomenclature is the formal, scientific naming of plants. It is related to, but distinct from
taxonomy. Plant taxonomy is concerned with grouping and classifying plants; botanical nomenclature then provides names for the results of this process. The starting point for modern botanical nomenclature is Linnaeus'
Species Plantarum of 1753. Botanical nomenclature is governed by the
International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (
ICN), which replaces the
International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (
ICBN). Fossil plants are also covered by the code of nomenclature.