Terminology

candidates = returned partial matches, as opposed to exact matches
canonical name = name string without authors/year, but with rank indicator (where required)
asynchronous output = (here) output (as a downloadable file) is produced after internal processing, which may take time. User is notified when ready.

General

Allow input of a pasted column of names
Allow upload of a table with names (dialogue: name bearing column[s])
Allow upload of any other column
Allow wildcards
Do not limit the input (in asynchronuous mode)
Allow input of name components in separate fields (at least in uploads):
- For ICNAFP: Monomial / genus component; infrageneric rank; infrageneric epithet; species epithet; infraspecific rank; infraspecific epithet; basionym author (team); combination author (team); year of publication.
- For ICZN: work in progress.

If the name is entered as a string, parse the name and match the name components independently
Tolerate different abbreviations for infrageneric and infraspecific rank designations (e.g. "subspecies", "subsp.", "ssp.")
Exactly match the rank of the name, if unambiguous in the input – i.e. do not return a subspecies for a variety, a genus name for a family, etc.
Avoid returning names that are completely improbable as candidates
- Weigh probabilities hierarchically; e.g., in a species name, a full or near full match on a genus name is more important than that of the species epithet (epithets may be used in many genera).
- Make phonetic matching optional
Allow parameters for matching (see below)

Return matched records and candidates in a single table (at least in asynchronous mode)
Return all input columns with matching results (at least in asynchronous mode)
List candidates sorted by probability (see above)
Provide output in standard formats (DwC, ColDP)

optional (ICNAFP): accept IPNI, Tropicos and full spaced author abbreviations as exact matches
optional (ICNAFP): ignore ex authors (the author or team preceeding the ex)
optional (ICNAFP): ignore hybrid symbol (or “x” space/space “x” space) in name
optional (ICNAFP): ignore authors in autonyms
optional: ignore endings in name elements (monomials, species epithet/name, infraspecific epithet/name)
optional: treat canonical matches as exact if only one match is found (i.e. ignore authors/year)

Conti, M., Nimis, P.L., Martellos, S. 2021: Match Algorithms for Scientiﬁc Names in FlorItaly, the Portal to the Flora of Italy. Plants 2021, 10, 974. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10050974