Review of botanical name change of trees, shrubs and herbs in Kenya , July 2020

Abstract

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 genus Acacia in Africa 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, tree 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 plant sciences.