How scientific rulings are changing Kenya's iconic plant names

Major changes in the naming of plants have officially taken effect this year, as hundreds of plant species are being stripped of scientific names derived from racial slurs.

The scientific names of plants such as the African Quinine Tree, a species commonly found near rivers and frequently used by local communities for its medicinal bark, have been affected by these changes.

This action follows a 2024 resolution in which botanists voted to change the scientific names of over 200 plant, fungi, and algae species globally that contained racial slurs against Black people.

The International Botanical Congress has now commenced the official implementation of new names for species previously labeled with derogatory racial slurs.

The new scientific names will serve as the only officially recognised titles within academic literature and botanical databases.

Under the guidelines, these names are being replaced with descriptors indicating their African origin.

While some changes were implemented immediately in 2024 following the resolution, the widespread formal adoption of these changes remains a primary focus for 2026.

In Kenya, affected species include the Kei apple, which was formerly known as Dovyalis caffra. It is now called Dovyalis affra.

The term ‘caffra’ is recognised as a racist slur used against Black people in southern Africa. This term has been replaced with ‘affra’ or ‘afrorum’ to denote African origin.

Similarly, the Sour Plum, currently scientifically designated as Ximenia affra, is a small tree found throughout Kenya, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions.

In South Africa, the coast coral tree, previously known as Erythrina caffra, will now officially be renamed Erythrina affra.

This historic decision to exclude racial slurs from scientific names marks the first occasion in history that taxonomic names have been modified for purely ethical reasons.

“Although, when initially published, the epithets may not have been intended to offend, in present-day society, they have acquired a decidedly negative connotation because the noun from which they derive is a racial slur in languages such as English, Afrikaans, Spanish, and Portuguese,” the botanists explained in their proposal.

Although names deemed derogatory or offensive to any national, ethnic, or cultural group are now rejected, there remains ongoing debate regarding the renaming of species named after controversial historical figures.

For instance, botanists are currently discussing whether to rename a brown, eyeless beetle named after Adolf Hitler, commonly known as Hitler’s beetle.

Similarly, there is debate over whether a moth named after Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini should have its name changed.

These cases are presently under investigation, with a committee responsible for reporting its findings at the next congress scheduled for 2029.

This initiative to eliminate names considered derogatory has heightened pressure on other scientific bodies, such as the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN), which has previously resisted similar changes to animal names. Changing scientific names is often a complex task, given the prioritisation of global consistency over social context.

The debate over renaming species is not novel. The renaming of the renowned ‘acacia’ trees has been one of the most contentious issues. Known as the Acacia case, it has been described as a ‘long, complex, and emotional debate'.

Although the name Acacia has long been associated with Africa, the issue has been fiercely debated over the years, both within Kenya and globally.

African botanists have argued that acacias are iconic species in Africa and should retain their original name. However, following scientific naming conventions, the species in Australia are now designated under different names.

The movement for changing the name of the acacia originated in 2003 when a group of Australian botanists sought to ensure that the trees in Australia retained the name, adhering to scientific naming rules.

In Kenya, trees traditionally known as ‘Acacias’ now bear new scientific names, namely Vachellia and Senegalia.

The revision of the Acacia nomenclature was approved at the 17th International Botanical Congress held in Melbourne in 2011. Since then, the international botanical community has accepted these changes, which are now in use within botanical literature.