Serving as the plant taxonomy section of the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS), IAPT was established in 1950 "to carry out projects of interest and concern to systematic biologists." Specifically, IAPT is dedicated to "the recognition, organization, evolution, and naming of plants and fungi, both living and fossil," an important task which is made difficult by distinct international languages. According to current practice, all new names of plants and fungi will have to be registered "in order to be validly published after the 1st of January 2000." Thus, the IAPT has launched a two-year, non-mandatory, trial registration period in which botanists and mycologists are encouraged to register plant and fungi names with the organization. Registration forms, a long list of accredited journals and serials, and access to abstracts in the journal Taxon are all provided at this site.