Studies of DNA have confirmed earlier suspicions, based on the structures of the plants, that the genus Dodecatheon really belongs within the genus Primula. Austin Mast and James Reveal have published their findings in the journal Brittonia (volume 59, 2007, pages 79-82). At the same time they have clarified the relationships between the taxa, so some are joined as varieties of the same species (in D. pauciflora, for example), and in other cases varieties (as of D. meadia) have been split between different species.
The old names and their new equivalents are given in the following table.
| Old name | New name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Dodecatheon alpinum (replaced by D. tetrandrum) | Primula tetrandra | Primula alpina already used |
| Dodecatheon austrofrigidum | Primula austrofrigida | |
| Dodecatheon clevelandii | Primula clevelandii | |
| Dodecatheon clevelandii subsp. insulare | Primula clevelandii var. insularis | |
| Dodecatheon conjugens | Primula conjugens | |
| Dodecatheon cusickii | Primula pauciflora var. cusicki | |
| Dodecatheon dentatum (replaced by D. meadia var. latilobum) | Primula latiloba | Primula dentata already used |
| Dodecatheon dentatum var. utahense | Primula utahensis | |
| Dodecatheon ellisiae | Primula standleyana | Primula ellisiae already used |
| Dodecatheon frigidum | Primula frigida | |
| Dodecatheon hendersonii | Primula hendersonii | |
| Dodecatheon jeffreyi | Primula jeffreyi | |
| Dodecatheon jeffreyi var. redolens | Primula fragrans | Primula redolens already used |
| Dodecatheon meadia | Primula meadia | |
| Dodecatheon meadia var. amethystinum | Primula fassettii | Primula amethystina already used |
| Dodecatheon meadia var. frenchii | Primula frenchii | |
| Dodecatheon meadia var. macrocarpum | Primula pauciflora var. macrocarpa | |
| Dodecatheon patulum (= Meadia patula) | Primula clevelandii var. patula | |
| Dodecatheon patulum var. gracile | Primula clevelandii var. gracilis | |
| Dodecatheon pauciflorum var. monanthum | Primula pauciflora var. monantha | |
| Dodecatheon pauciflorum var. shoshonense | Primula pauciflora var. shoshonensis | |
| Dodecatheon poeticum | Primula poetica | |
| Dodecatheon pulchellum (replaced by D. pauciflorum) | Primula pauciflora | Primula pulchella already used |
| Dodecatheon pulchellum var. distolum | Primula pauciflora var. distola | |
| Dodecatheon subalpinum | Primula subalpina | |
| Dodecatheon viscidum | Primula conjugens var. viscida | |
| Dodecatheon zionense | Primula pauciflora var. zionensis |
In most cases the new name is equivalent to the old one, with changes to the word endings because Primula is feminine whereas Dodecatheon is neuter. But sometimes that isn't possible because the equivalent Primula name has already been used. So, for example, as Dodecatheon ellisiae and Primula ellisiae both existed, they had to come up with a completely new name. As the Dodecatheon had originally been named by Standley in 1913, they chose the species epithet standleyana in recognition. There are five other such examples in the table, indicated in the notes column.
That's not all. There are three examples where the most recently used name has been replaced by another one used historically, which has conveniently provided a suitable name for the Primula.
Will these names catch on? Americans may be reluctant to let go of a name that is distinctive for their lovely shooting stars. But when the structure and the DNA of the two groups of plants both point to their close relationship, it is probably best to recognise the marriage. That parallel reminds us that we soon get used to new names.