By Nneka Nwogwugwu
Scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, has named a tree that is new to science after Leonardo DiCaprio.
Leonardo DiCaprio is an American actor and film producer. Known for his work in biopics and period films, DiCaprio has received numerous accolades throughout his career, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and three Golden Globe Awards.
The Kew scientists said that they wanted to honour the star for his help in saving a rainforest from logging.
The tree, which has been given the official name, Uvariopsis dicaprio, grows only in the Cameroon forest known for its incredible biodiversity.
“We think he was crucial in helping to stop the logging of the Ebo Forest,” said Dr Martin Cheek of Kew.
The Forest is ine of the largest relatively untouched rainforests in Central Africa, it is home to the Banen people and an array of unique flora and fauna, including threatened gorillas, chimps and forest elephants.
One of the contributions DiCaprio made, was to use his social media to raise alarm on logging activities in the forest causing extinction of animals and plant species to his millions of followers.
The government later revoked plans to allow logging, although the forest has yet to be officially designated a national park.
“This could just be a stay of execution,” Dr Cheek added.
The “dicaprio” tree is the first plant new to science to be officially named by Kew scientists in 2022, through publication in the scientific journal, PeerJ.
The small tropical evergreen tree has glossy yellow flowers that grow from its trunk. A member of the ylang ylang family, it has been found only in a small area of the forest and is critically endangered.
