• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.261-264
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• 2019

Eupatorium rugosum Houtt. is known to be an alien invasive species and is listed as an ecosystem disturbance species in Korea. There is also an eastern North American species Ageratina altissima (L.) R. M. King & H. Rob. similarly dispersed in Korea. This article aims to clarify the taxonomic confusion regarding the species. The two names refer to the same species originally described as Ageratum altissimum by Linnaeus in his Species Plantarum. Ageratum altissimum was transferred to the genus Eupatorium and later to Ageratina. Eupatorium rugosum is the replacement name in Eupatorium because of E. altissimum L., an existing name based on the different type. When the species was transferred to Ageratina, A. altissima was published based on its basionym, as the epithet "altissima" was available in the genus. It seems that taxonomic confusion regarding the species in Korea is due to the recognition of the names as different taxa. Ageratina altissima is the correct name for the species based on morphological and molecular data.