Taxacom: botanical names with racist history

[Jeremy Bruhl]

Dear John

Words master and can hurt deeply. The action taken is measured and reasonable.

Cheers,  Jeremy

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________________________________
From: Taxacom <taxacom-bounces at lists.ku.edu> on behalf of John Grehan via Taxacom <taxacom at lists.ku.edu>
Sent: Monday, July 22, 2024 5:58:23 am
To: taxacom <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
Subject: Taxacom: botanical names with racist history

Statements below from a web site. Can any botanist on Taxacom comment
further on this?

Scientists have voted to eliminate the names of certain plants that are
deemed to be racially offensive. The decision to remove a label that
contains such a slur was taken last week after a gruelling six-day session
attended by more than 100 researchers, as part of the International
Botanical Congress, which officially opens on Sunday in Madrid.

The effect of the vote will be that all plants, fungi and algae names that
contain the word *caffra*, which originates in insults made against Black
people, will be replaced by the word *affra* to denote their African
origins. More than 200 species will be affected, including the coast coral
tree, which will be known as *Erythrina affra* instead of *Erythrina caffra*
.

The scientists attending the nomenclature session also agreed to create a
special committee which would rule on names given to newly discovered
plants, fungi and algae. These are usually named by those who first
describe them in the scientific literature. However, the names could now be
overruled by the committee if they are deemed to be derogatory to a group
or race

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Nurturing nuance while assailing ambiguity for about 37 years, 1987-2024.