FORESTRY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

REVIEW OF CHANGE OF , AND HERBS IN KENYA

Technical Note No. 29

KEFRI is ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certified REVIEW OF BOTANICAL NAME CHANGE OF TREES, SHRUBS AND HERBS IN KENYA

Technical Note No. 29

Magrate M. Kaigongi

July, 2020 © KEFRI 2020 This publication may be produced in whole or in part in any form for educational purposes or non-profit uses without permission of the copright holder provided acknowledgement is made.

Cover Caption: tortilis

Photographs by: Francis Gachathi

Citation: Kaigongi M. M. (2020). Review of Botanical Name Change of Trees, Shrubs, and Herbs in Kenya. KEFRI. Muguga, Kenya.

Published by: Kenya Forestry Research Institute P.O. Box 20412-00200, Nairobi Kenya, Tel:+254-724-259781/2, +254-722-157414,+254-734-251888 E-mail:[email protected] Website:www.kefri.org

Layout & Design: Evans Abuje and Dorothy Ochieng Foreword Kenya Forestry Research Institute (KEFRI) has the national mandate of undertaking research in forestry and allied natural resources; and disseminating forestry research outputs to stakeholders. The Institute generates its research agenda from; government policy documents, international agreements ratified by the Government of Kenya, and emerging issues. Our research agenda and information therefore conforms to national, global, and contemporary standards including international standard for naming of and the changes as they occur.

The need for this Technical Note stemmed from questions to the taxonomist from fellow researchers and colleagues at Kenya Forestry Research Institute. This technical note seeks to address issues related to botanical name changes specifically the change of species names in the in and the merging of families within the order Malvales (Tiliaceae, Sterculiaceae, Bombacaceae and Malvaceae) to one family Malvaceae.. It shows why plants scientific names change as well as lists of plants species, genera and families which have changed names.

This document is primarily addressed to botanists (scholars, lecturers, researchers, herbalists), foresters, ecologists, pharmacologists, agriculturalists, landscapers, natural product researchers, growers and any other person who interacts with plants. An understanding of botanical name change, will help them provide for better means of meeting the complex needs of sciences.

i In accordance with our core values of team work and partnership, we acknowledge the support of all actors as reflected in the book and remain committed to furthering the partnership and collaboration with all partners.

Joshua K. Cheboiwo (PhD) Director, Kenya Forestry Research Institute

ii Table of Contents Foreword i Acknowledgement iv

1. Introduction 1 2. Reasons why botanical names change 2 3. Recommendations 4 4. Bibliography 6

Appendix 1: Plant species name change 8 Appendix 2: Genus name change 13 Appendix 3: Merged plants families 16 Appendix 4: Conserved family names 18

iii Acknowledgement KEFRI Management is acknowledged for approving this work. I am grateful to those who helped me gather data for this work as it would not have reached its present form without their invaluable help. Special thanks to Dr. Fredrick Musila (Technical University of Kenya) and Dr. Peris Kamau (National Museums of Kenya) for guiding me on the databases used in acquiring the data. Dr. Malombe Itambo (National Museums of Kenya) is appreciated for reviewing this work. Mr. Francis Gachathi (former KEFRI taxonomist) for helping me conceive the idea of this technical note and encouraging me on the importance of this work. Many thanks to the KEFRI Editorial Committee namely Dorothy Ochieng, Paul Tuwei and Josephine Wanjiku for editing the manuscript.

iv 1. Introduction Different communities have knowledge of plants growing around them, including the identification and uses. Each community assigns local or common names to plants in their own language depending on certain aspects such as uses, appearance, or origin. These common names are stable and useful in their place of origin, but are not of much use elsewhere (Gledhill, 2008; Spencer et al., 2007). The same plant may have a different common name in different places, or the same name might apply to a different plant.

In order to organize the plant kingdom according to the relationships between plants, and to provide a stable and universal set of names, botanists use a system called . Each botanical name applies to one species only and is internationally used regardless of language and dialect.

The names of plants may be changed as their relationships become better understood, but name changes can be tracked down so it is possible to know if two different names refer to the same plant. Botanical names changes are regulated by International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN), which lays down the rules under which a name may be changed, and the methods used in choosing the correct name.

1 2. Reasons why botanical names change According to Spencer et al. (2007), taxonomists from time to time need, or choose, to change the name of an organism such as a plant due to the following main reasons. i) Taxonomic Names may change as knowledge grows. A species might be transferred into a different genus, or combined with one or more other previously segregated species, or divided into two or more new species. For example, the new systematic sequence is largely based on the phylogeny of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG), a global collaborative effort to better understand the relationships of plant groups. It is expected that this system will be relatively stable as it is based on repeatable analysis and wide range of evidence. However additional modifications are always possible as new evidence comes to light. ii) Misidentification When a plant is discovered to have been mistakenly given the name of a different family, genus or species. iii) Nomenclatural Names may have been incorrectly described, or older names, which have priority, may have been overlooked in the past.

2 It is possible that a widespread species has been described by different taxonomists under different names. Alternatively, systematic revision may cause re-arrangement of genera and species, resulting in either the union of two or more species previously considered distinct or splitting what was previously one genus into two or more genera.

An example is the genus Acacia which contains a large number of species (approximately 1 500), and occurs in , Asia, Africa and the . In the re-classification of the genus Acacia, the genus Acacia is reserved for those species native to Australia, about 900 of them, while the Acacia species native to Africa have been grouped into two separate genera, Vachellia and . The main differences are that Vachellia has capitate (round, head-like ) and spinescent stipules (thorns).

Senegalia has spicate inflorescences (flowers in spikes) and the stipules are non-spinescent. For example, the well-known Acacia tortilis, A. nilotica, A. drepanolobium, A. kirkii, A. xanthophloea, A. nubica, A. abyssinica and A. sieberiana now become Vachellia tortilis, V. nilotica, V. drepanolobium, V. kirkii, V. xanthophloea, V.nubica, V. abyssinica and V. sieberiana, respectively. Similarly, Acacia nigrescens, A. brevispica, A. caffra, A. mellifera and A. become Senegalia nigrescens, S. brevispica, S. caffra, S. mellifera and S. senegal, respectively (Haddad, 2011; Kyalangaliwa et al., 2013; Dyer, 2014).

3 3. Recommendations It is important that plant names used are accurate and up-to-date for correct identity of the species. For precision, use legitimate plant names, if applicable, down to the botanical variety level, and also include the author with the binomial name, when name changes have occurred as there might be a risk of confusion (McNeill et al., 2012).

The new names are known as current or accepted names while the old ones applied to the same species become synonyms. The synonyms are put into brackets after the accepted names for cross-reference to other publications e.g. Vachellia tortilis (Acacia tortilis), the first time the plant is mentioned.

Plant species name change, genera change, family name change and list of conserved family names are contained in Appendix 1, II, III and IV respectively.

4 Cassine buchananii

Bauhinia thonningii

5 Bibliography

Angiosperm Phylogeny Group. (2009). An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG III. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 161(2), 105-121.

Bentje, H. (1994). The Kenya trees, shrubs and lianas. Nairobi: National Museums of Kenya.

Colin Dyer. (2014). New names for the African Acacia species in Vachellia and Senegalia. Southern Forests: a Journal of Forest Science, 76:4, iii-iii, DO I:10.2989/20702620.2014.980090

Flann, C., Turland, N.J., and Monro, A.M. (2014). Report on botanical nomenclature—Melbourne 2011. XVIII International Botanical Congress, Melbourne: Nomenclature Section, 18–22 July 2011. PhytoKeys, (41), 1.

Gledhill, D. (2008). The names of plants. Cambridge University Press.

Haddad, W.A. (2011). Classification and nomenclature of the genus Acacia (Leguminosae), with emphasis on Africa. Dendron, 43, 34-43.

Heller, J.L. (1964). The early history of binomial nomenclature. Hunt Botanical Library, Carnegie Institute of Technology.

Kyalangalilwa, B., Boatwright, J.S., Daru, B.H., Maurin, O., and Bank, M. (2013). Phylogenetic position and revised classification of Acacia sl (: ) in Africa, including new combinations in Vachellia and Senegalia. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 172(4), 500-523.

Plant List (2013). version 1.1. Published on the Internet: (http://www. theplantlist. org) (accessed on 1st April 2019)

6 McNeill, J., Barrie, F.R., Buck, W.R., Demoulin, V., Greuter, W., Hawksworth, D.L. and Prud’homme Van Reine, W.F. (2012). International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants. Regnum vegetabile, 154.

Spencer, R., Cross, R., and Lumley, P. (2007). Plant names: a guide to botanical nomenclature. CSIRO publishing.

Wearn, J.A., Chase, M.W., Mabberley, D.J., and Couch, C. (2013). Utilizing a phylogenetic plant classification for systematic arrangements in botanic gardens and herbaria. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 172(2), 127-141.

7 Appendix 1: Plant species name change A species transferred into a different genus, or combined with one or more other previously segregated species, or divided into two or more new species (Plant List, 2013). Old Name New Name Family Acacia albida Faidherbia albida Fabaceae Acalypha sigensis Acalypha engleri Acalypha racemosa Acalypha paniculata Euphorbiaceae Ouratea sacleuxii Gomphia sacleuxii Ochnaceae Chrysophyllum delevoyi Chrysophyllum Sapotaceae africanum Clematis sigensis Clematis simensis Ranunculaceae Clerodendrum Volkameria eriophylla Lamiaceae eriophyllum Clerodendrum Rotheca makanjana Lamiaceae makanjanum Cordia quercifolia Cordia sinensis Boraginaceae Croton zambesicus Croton gratissimus Euphorbiaceae Curroria volubilis Buckollia volubilis Apocynaceae Cynanchum omissum Fockea angustifolia Apocynaceae Cynanchum tetrapterum Cynanchum viminale Apocynaceae Discopodium Discopodium Solanaceae eremanthum penninervium Dodonaea angustifolia Dodonaea viscosa Sapindaceae subsp. angustifolia usambarensis Dracaena mannii Dregea macrantha Marsdenia macrantha Apocynaceae Bourreria nemoralis Hilsenbergia Boraginaceae nemoralis Bourreria petiolaris Ehretia petiolaris Boraginaceae Elaeodendron aquifolium Cassine aquifolium Celastraceae

8 Old Name New Name Family Elaeodendron buchananii Cassine buchananii Celastraceae Elaeodendron Cassine Celastraceae schlechterianum schweinfurthiana Elaeodendron Cassine schlechteriana Celastraceae schweinfurthianum Englerastrum scandens Plectranthus scandens Lamiaceae Gnidia subcordata Englerodaphne Thymelaeaceae subcordata Ensete edule Ensete ventricosum Musaceae fusca Bothriocline fusca Compositae Erythrochlamys Ocimum spectabile Lamiaceae spectabilis Euphorbia obovalifolia Euphorbia abyssinica Euphorbiaceae Gnidia subcordata Englerodaphne Thymelaeaceae subcordata Grewia fallax Grewia arborea Malvaceae Grewia vaughanii Grewia trifora Malvaceae Sacleuxia newii Cryptolepsis newii Asclepiadaceae Haplocoelum Haplocoelum Sapindaceae mombasense foliolosum Hildebrandtia somalensis Pterochlamys Convolvulaceae somalensis Simirestis goetzei Hippocratea goetzei Celastraceae Jatropha arguta Jatropha rivae Euphorbiaceae Lagynias pallidiflora Vangueria pallidiflora Lantana rhodesiensis Lantana ukambensis Verbenaceae Leptadenia hastata Leptadenia lancifolia Apocynaceae Leucaena latisiliqua Lysiloma latisiliquum Fabaceae Lindackeria somalensis Oncoba somalensis Salicaceae Macrorungia pubinervia Metarungia pubinervia Acanthaceae

9 Old Name New Name Family Maytenus buchananii Gymnosporia Celastraceae buchananii Maytenus keniensis Gymnosporia Celastraceae keniensis Maytenus putterlickioides Gymnosporia Celastraceae putterlickioides Memecylon fragrans Lijndenia fragrans Melastomataceae Memecylon Warneckea Melastomataceae mouririifolium mouririifolium Mezoneuron angolense Caesalpinia angolense Fabaceae Hallea rubrostipulata Fleroya rubrostipulata Rubiaceae argylei Ocotea kenyensis Osyris quadripartita Osyris lanceolata Santalaceae Ouratea densiflora Gomphia densiflora Ochnaceae Campylospermum Gomphia sacleuxii Ochnaceae sacleuxii Campylospermum Gomphia scheffleri Ochnaceae scheffleri Pachystela msolo Synsepalum msolo Sapotaceae Pachystigma gillettii Vangueria gillettii Rubiaceae Pavonia propinqua Pavonia grewioides Malvaceae Phyllanthus sacleuxii Phyllanthus mittenianus Piliostigma thonningii Bauhinia thonningii Fabaceae Pittosporum spathicalyx Pittosporum Pittosporaceae viridiflorum Plectranthus albus Plectranthus laxiflorus Lamiaceae Plectranthus luteus Plectranthus melleri Lamiaceae Psoralea foliosa Otholobium foliosum Fabaceae

10 Old Name New Name Family Rhus natalensis Searsia natalensis Anacardiaceae Rhus tenuinervis Searsia tenuinervis Anacardiaceae Rytigynia induta Vangueria induta Rubiaceae Salix subserrata Salix mucronata Salicaceae Sapium ellipticum Shikiopsis ellipticum Euphorbiaceae Sapium triloculare Shirakiopsis triloculare Euphorbiaceae fadenii Wielandia fadenii Phyllanthaceae Scaevola sericea Scaevola taccada Goodeniaceae Streblus usambarensis Sloetiopsis usambarensis Moraceae Solenostemon shirensis Plectranthus shirensis Lamiaceae Streblus usambarensis Sloetiopsis usambarensis Moraceae Synadenium Euphorbia pereskiifolium Euphorbiaceae pereskiifolium Synadenium grantii Euphorbia umbellata Euphorbiaceae Synadenium molle Euphorbia pseudomollis Euphorbiaceae Synadenium volkensii Euphorbia Euphorbiaceae pseudovolkensii Tarenna kibuwae Coptosperma kibuwae Rubiaceae Tarenna wajirensis Coptosperma wajirense Rubiaceae Teclea amaniensis Vepris amaniensis Rutaceae Teclea hanangensis Vepris hanangensis Rutaceae Teclea nobilis Vepris nobilis Rutaceae Teclea grandifolia Vepris grandifolia Rutaceae Teclea trichocarpa Vepris trichocarpa Rutaceae Toddaliopsis Vepris sansibarensis Rutaceae sansibarensis Tricalysia ruandensis Tricalysia congesta Rutaceae Vernonia aurantiaca divaricatus Vernonia cinerascens Orbivestus cinerascens Asteraceae Vernonia dumicola Baccharoides dumicola Asteraceae

11 Old Name New Name Family Vernonia urticifolia Gymnanthemum Asteraceae urticifolium Vernonia wollastonii Cyanthillium wollastonii Asteraceae Zimmermannia ovata Meineckia ovata Phyllanthaceae

12 Appendix 2: Genus name change Genera change including splits to old families; situations where specific genera have been moved to a new family and others retained, or where different genera have moved to different families (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, 2009). Old Family Genus New Family Alliaceae Agapanthus Agapanthaceae Asparagaceae Laxmannia Asparagaceae Murchisonia Asparagaceae Sowerbaea Asparagaceae Thysanotus Asparagaceae Chamaescilla Asparagaceae Chlorophytum Asparagaceae Anthericaceae Dichopogon Asparagaceae Agrostocrinum Hemerocallidaceae Arnocrinum Hemerocallidaceae Caesia Hemerocallidaceae Hensmania Hemerocallidaceae Hodgsoniola Hemerocallidaceae Johnsonia Hemerocallidaceae Stawellia Hemerocallidaceae Corynotheca Hemerocallidaceae Tricoryne Hemerocallidaceae Hydrocotyle Araliaceae Neosciadium Araliaceae Apiaceae Trachymene Araliaceae Uldinia Araliaceae Capparaceae Cleome Cleomaceae Clusiaceae Hypericum Hypericaceae Cunoniaceae Aphanopetalum Aphanopetalaceae 13 Old Family Genus New Family Acanthocarpus Asparagaceae Chamaexeros Asparagaceae Asparagaceae Xerolirion Asparagaceae Antidesma Phyllanthaceae Breynia Phyllanthaceae Bridelia Phyllanthaceae Phyllanthaceae Glochidion Phyllanthaceae Margaritaria Phyllanthaceae Euphorbiaceae Phyllanthus Phyllanthaceae Poranthera Phyllanthaceae Sauropus Phyllanthaceae Leptopus Phyllanthaceae Petalostigma Phyllanthaceae Drypetes Phyllanthaceae Hydrophyllaceae Phacelia Boraginaceae Wigandia Boraginaceae Hydrolea Hydroleaceae Potamogetonaceae Ruppia Ruppiaceae Restionaceae Anarthria Anarthriaceae Lindernia Linderniaceae Centranthera Orobanchaceae Striga Orobanchaceae Bartsia Orobanchaceae Parentucellia Orobanchaceae Scrophulariaceae Elacholoma Phrymaceae Glossostigma Phrymaceae Mimulus Phrymaceae Peplidium Phrymaceae

14 Old Family Genus New Family Dopatrium Plantaginaceae Bacopa Plantaginaceae Gratiola Plantaginaceae Limnophila Plantaginaceae Stemodia Plantaginaceae Veronica Plantaginaceae Misopates Plantaginaceae Linaria Plantaginaceae Scrophulariaceae Maurandya Plantaginaceae Scoparia Plantaginaceae Buchnera Orobanchaceae Euphrasia Orobanchaceae Rhamphicarpa Orobanchaceae Microcarpaea Phrymaceae Kickxia Plantaginaceae Cymbalaria Plantaginaceae Simaroubaceae Harrisonia Rutaceae Zygophyllaceae Nitraria Nitrariaceae

15 Appendix 3: Merged plants families List of changed families according to Wearn et al. (2013). Old Family New Family Adiantaceae Pteridaceae Agavaceae Asparagaceae Aloeaceae Asclepiadaceae Apocynaceae Avicenniaceae Acanthaceae Azollaceae Salviniaceae Bombacaceae Malvaceae Buddlejaceae Scrophulariaceae Caesalpiniaceae Fabaceae Callitrichaceae Plantaginaceae Cochlospermaceae Bixaceae Cuscutaceae Convolvulaceae Dipsacaceae Caprifoliaceae Epacridaceae Ericaceae Fumariaceae Papaveraceae Hippocrateaceae Celastraceae Hyacinthaceae Asparagaceae Hydrophyllaceae Boraginaceae Lemnaceae Lobeliaceae Campanulaceae Mimosaceae Fabaceae Myoporaceae Scrophulariaceae Myrsinaceae Primulaceae Najadaceae Hydrocharitaceae Papilionaceae Fabaceae

16 Old Family New Family Parkeriaceae Pteridaceae Phormiaceae Hemerocallidaceae Platyzomataceae Pteridaceae Sonneratiaceae Lythraceae Stackhousiaceae Celastraceae Sterculiaceae Malvaceae Taxodiaceae Cupressaceae Tiliaceae Malvaceae Tremandraceae Elaeocarpaceae Valerianaceae Caprifoliaceae Viscaceae Santalaceae Zannichelliaceae Potamogetonaceae

17 Appendix 4: Conserved family names List of conserved family names (Bentje,1994)

Conserved Name Formal Name English Name Palmae Arecaceae Palm Graminae Poaceae Grass Umbelliferae Apiaceae Carrot, Parsley Compositae Asteraceae Sunflower Cruciferae Brassicaceae Cabbage, Mustard Leguminosae Fabaceae Pea, Bean Guttiferae Hypericaceae St.-John’s-Wort Labiatae Lamiaceae Mint

18 Kenya Forestry Research Institute Head Office: Muguga off Nairobi-Nakuru Highway P.O. Box 20412-00200, Nairobi Kenya Tel: +254-724-259781/2, +254-722-157414, +254-734-251888 E-mail:[email protected] ♦ Website: www.kefri.org