Tree Species / WikipediaA flower from Erythrina afra, a renamed tree species from southeast AfricaTree Species / Wikipedia
Botanists at the most recent International Botanical Congress, held in Madrid, Spain, made a significant decision to eliminate a racist term. The word caffra (and variations) in the names of more than 300 species of plants, fungi, and algae will be replaced by afra. Caffra, which means infidel in Arabic, was used to designate Southeast African origins in scientific names. Since the Apartheid, it has been widely used as a racist insult. “It made people embarrassed—they didn’t want to say the names of these plants,” says Gustavo Shimizu, a botanist from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) who was part of the Brazilian delegation in Madrid. The new term means “originating from the African continent.” Although scientists prefer to maintain the names of organisms whenever possible, Shimizu argues that they also need to be aware of the times they live in. In addition to the new rule, which comes into force on July 27, the group of around 170 botanists also approved a recommendation: “When publishing the names of new taxa or replacing existing names, authors are strongly encouraged to avoid names that would be viewed or perceived as inappropriate, distasteful, offensive, or unacceptable by any national, ethnic, or cultural group.” In 2026, an ethics committee will be formed to arbitrate on questionable names and draft more detailed rules to be voted on at the next conference in 2029.
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