The
International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (
ICN) is the set of rules and recommendations dealing with the formal
botanical names that are given to plants, fungi and a few other groups of organisms, all those "traditionally treated as algae, fungi, or plants". It was formerly called the
International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (
ICBN); the name was changed at the
International Botanical Congress in
Melbourne in July 2011 as part of the
Melbourne Code which replaces the
Vienna Code of 2005. As with previous codes, it takes effect as soon as ratified by the congress (on Saturday 23 July 2011), but the documentation of the code in its final form takes some time to prepare after the congress. Preliminary wording of some of the articles with the most significant changes has been published in September 2011.