The world of botanical nomenclature is undergoing a significant shift, driven by a growing awareness of the impact of language and history on scientific naming conventions.
For the first time, botanists have voted to change the names of over 200 plant, fungi, and algae species due to offensive racial connotations.
At the heart of this change is the term “caffra,” a word with roots in southern Africa that has been used as a slur against Black people and others in the region.
The International Botanical Congress in Madrid voted to replace this term in scientific names, marking a pivotal moment in the field’s history.
Gideon Smith, a plant taxonomist at Nelson Mandela University in South Africa, explained the reasoning behind the change:
“We throughout had faith in the process and the majority global support of our colleagues, even though the outcome of the vote was always going to be close.”
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Smith and his colleague Estrela Figueiredo proposed replacing “caffra” with derivatives of “afr” to recognize Africa instead. This change will take effect in 2026, altering names like Erythrina caffra (the coast coral tree) to Erythrina affra.
African coral tree, Erythrina caffra pic.twitter.com/bLoA2xNxNX
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The decision wasn’t without controversy. The vote was close, with 351 in favor and 205 opposed.
Some scientists worry about the potential ripple effects.
Alina Freire-Fierro, a botanist from Ecuador, voiced concerns about confusion: “This could potentially cause a lot of confusion and problems to users in many fields aside from botany.”
The congress also addressed other problematic naming issues, such as species named after individuals who profited from the transatlantic slave trade.
While a complete overhaul of historical names didn’t pass, the botanists did agree to create a special committee to oversee the ethics of naming new species going forward.
Kevin Thiele, an Australian plant taxonomist who proposed broader changes, sees this as a small but important step: “At least it’s a sliver of recognition of the issue.”
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This committee will have the power to reject new species names deemed derogatory to any group of people, but only for species described after 2026.
