Thomas Jefferson Could Lose His Plant Over Slave Ownership

A plant named after former President Thomas Jefferson may be renamed after the International Botanical Congress (IBC) meets in summer 2024.

The American Ornithology Society (AOS) said on Wednesday that it would rename all bird species in its jurisdiction that were named for people regardless of the name's history. The announcement came after birdwatchers have debated bird names for years, specifically ones that commemorate historical figures who committed acts of racism. The decision comes as numerous organizations reexamine landmarks, statues and other objects named for controversial figures.

Plant name changes could be next as the members of the IBC meet in Madrid next July. Scientific plant names are governed by the International Code of Nomenclature. Rules regarding the naming of plants will be reevaluated during the congress' meeting, which convenes every six years.

Meanwhile, various proposals have been crafted that would modify the rule system for naming plants, particularly when it comes to ones named after controversial historical figures.

Changes could impact the twinleaf, a type of flowering plant that grows in more than a dozen states in the eastern United States. The twinleaf's scientific name is Jeffersonia diphylla, named after Jefferson, who is a controversial figure in American history known for being a slave owner. Jefferson reportedly grew the plant in his gardens at Monticello, his primary plantation in Virginia, the University of Wisconsin-Madison reported.

"This is a topic that's being discussed in the nomenclature, and it will come up at the nomenclature session next summer," Patrick Herendeen, the senior director of plant biology at the Chicago Botanic Garden, told Newsweek, adding that various proposals have been written to modify the naming rule system. "It's a topic that is important right now and will be discussed...to establish a mechanism to change scientific names of plants that recognize someway a person that people find objectionable or slurs."

Another plant that could face a future name change is the Erythrina caffra, a flowering tree that grows in Africa. The name is rooted in a slur targeting the region's Black communities.

If changes are implemented, it would only affect the scientific, or Latin names, of plants. There is no governing body that oversees the common names of plants.

A spokesperson for the AOS previously told Newsweek that the AOS' decision only changes the English, or common, name for birds and does not impact any of the scientific names. Herendeen said any plant renaming will be done on a case-by-case basis, whereas the AOS decided to rename all birds named after people.

AOS said that the new names will be focused on the birds' features rather than honoring historical figures.

"There is power in a name, and some English bird names have associations with the past that continue to be exclusionary and harmful today," AOS President Colleen Handel said in a statement. "We need a much more inclusive and engaging scientific process that focuses attention on the unique features and beauty of the birds themselves. Everyone who loves and cares about birds should be able to enjoy and study them freely—and birds need our help now more than ever."